Background: Our recent studies have shown that prior intracerebral injection of a low dose of thrombin attenuates the brain edema formation that results from either an intracerebral hematoma, an intracerebral injection of a large dose of thrombin or cerebral ischemia. The aim of the current study is to investigate whether thrombin-induced tolerance (thrombin preconditioning; TPC) is associated with activation of p44/42 mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinases.
Methods: This study contained three parts. In the first, rats received an intracerebral infusion of either saline or one unit thrombin (the TPC dose) into the right caudate nucleus. After 1, 3 and 7 days, the rats will be killed and brains used to detect p44/42 MAP kinases activation using Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. In the second and third parts, rats received intracerebral infusions of either vehicle, one unit thrombin (TPC) or one unit thrombin and 5 nmol PD 098059. These rats were either killed to detect kinases activation after 24 h or received a second intracerebral infusion of five-unit thrombin 7 days later with brain edema being assessed after a further 24 h.
Results: Western blot analysis demonstrated that p44/42 MAP kinases were activated in the ipsilateral basal ganglia after the intracerebral infusion of thrombin one unit. Cells immunoreactive for activated p44/42 MAP kinases were found in the ipsilateral basal ganglia and ipsilateral cortex. PD 098059, a MAP kinase kinase inhibitor, abolished thrombin-induced activation of p44/42 MAP kinases. TPC suppressed thrombin-induced brain edema while PD 098059 blocked this protective effect. The water contents in the ipsilateral basal ganglia 24 h after infusion of thrombin five units were 82.6+/-0.8%, 79.2+/-0.4% and 81.8+/-1.9% in the control, TPC alone and TPC plus PD 098059 groups, respectively.
Conclusion: Thrombin can activate p44/42 MAP kinases within the brain and the protective effects of thrombin preconditioning on brain edema formation are related to this activation.