The expression of repulsive guidance molecule a in the rat brain and the diffusion tensor imaging evaluation for crossed cerebellar diaschisis.

Abstract

Background: Cerebral infarction is one of the most common diseases. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been used to evaluate for crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) to observe the expression of repulsive guidance molecule a (RGMa), the axonal regeneration as well as the effect on neural functional recovery in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model.

Purpose: To certify the expression pattern of RGMa in cerebral infarction and the mechanism of CCD to provide a new target for clinical therapy.

Material and methods: Building the MCAO rat model, every 16 rats were randomly divided into one of six groups. The brain was scanned over the time points above and the rats were sacrificed for immunohistochemistry staining and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to assay the RGMa expression.

Results: The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) value of MCAO rats declined and peaked at 12 h. The contralateral cerebellum had a lower parameter than the other side. The expression of RGMa kept climbing and achieved the maximum at 48 h (P < 0.05). The value of the protein in the cerebellum was higher (P < 0.05) compared with controls, especially the right cerebellum. The expression of RGMa was negative compared to the parameter of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the axonal regeneration.

Conclusion: The MRI and pathology parameters after MACO had significant differences compared to the controls, as well as the bilateral cerebellum, which provided evidence of CCD. RGMa was related to the axonal regeneration in the injured brain.