Figure 6.
TUDCA affects Bcl-2 family protein expression in ICH. (A) Total protein brain extracts underwent SDS/PAGE, and the blots were probed with antibodies to Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Bax. All three proteins were elevated in vehicle controls. TUDCA (10–200 mg/kg of bw) given 1 h before ICH progressively decreased protein levels of Bcl-xL and Bax, but not Bcl-2. (B) Bcl-2, bcl-xL, and bax mRNAs were amplified by RT-PCR and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. mRNA levels of bcl-2, bcl-xL, and bax were increased in the vehicle-treated rats. Increasing doses of TUDCA progressively diminished bcl-xL but not bcl-2 transcriptional activity. The β-actin mRNA served as control. Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n = 3–5 animals per group). *, P < 0.05; §, P < 0.01 from vehicle.