Progesterone protects endothelial cells after cerebrovascular occlusion by decreasing MCP-1- and CXCL1-mediated macrophage infiltration.

ABSTRACT: The neuroprotective effects of progesterone after ischemic stroke have been established, but the role of progesterone in promoting cerebrovascular repair remains under-explored. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) for 90 min followed by reperfusion for 3 days. Progesterone (8 mg/kg/day) was administered intraperitoneally at 1h after initial occlusion followed by subcutaneous injections at 6, 24 and 48 h post-occlusion. Rats were euthanized after 72 h and brain endothelial cell density and macrophage infiltration were evaluated within the cerebral cortex. We also assessed progesterone's ability to induce macrophage migration toward hypoxic/reoxygenated cultured endothelial cells. We found that progesterone treatment post-tMCAO protects ische

SUBMITTER: Remus EW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4586408 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature