Figure 1.

LZ-3 reduces infarct volume and neuronal damage in rats post-stroke.

(A) Chemical structure of LZ-3. (B) Timeline of the in vivo study. Rats were injected with LZ-3, edaravone, or normal saline via the tail vein 3 days every 24 hours after reperfusion. TTC staining and immunofluorescence staining were performed on rat brain tissue 3 days after reperfusion. (C) TTC staining of coronal sections. Edaravone and LZ-3 (2 and 4 mg/kg) treatment reduced infarct volume compared with saline. (D) Infarct volumes in each group (n = 6). (E) Representative images of immunofluorescence staining for NeuN (red, Alexa Fluor® 647) in the cortex. Edaravone and LZ-3 (2 and 4 mg/kg) treatment also increased the number of live neurons compared with saline. Scale bar: 50 μm. (F) Number of NeuN-positive cells seen in E (n = 3). Data are expressed as mean ± SD. ###P < 0.001, vs. sham group; *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, vs. model group (one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s post hoc test). DAPI: 4′,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; HE: hematoxylin-eosin; i.v: intravenous injection; MCAO: middle cerebral artery occlusion; Mod: model group; NeuN: neuronal nuclear protein; TTC: 2,3,5-triphenyte-trazoliumchloride; TUNEL: TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling.