Figure 4.

Effect of AS-ODN against NCKX2 on ischemic damage induced in male rats by pMCAO. A, Western blot and densitometric analysis of NCKX2 protein in PC12 cells differentiated with NGF and treated with vehicle (control) or 3 μm AS-ODN for 12 and 24 h. B, Western blot and densitometric analysis of NCKX2 protein after intracerebroventricular infusion of vehicle (control) or AS-ODN (250 μm, 140 μg/kg, 1 μl/h for 24 h) in brain regions of nonischemic rats corresponding to the core and the periinfarct area. Data were normalized on the basis of β-actin levels and represented as a percentage of NCKX2 expression in control animals. Values represent means ± SEM (n = 3). *p < 0.05 versus NCKX2 levels in controls. C, Effect of scrambled, sense, or antisense ODN (250 μm, 140 μg/kg, 1 μl/h, i.c.v. for 24 h) on infarct volume induced by pMCAO. Each column represents the mean ± SEM of the percentage of the infarct volume compared with the ipsilateral hemisphere. Each ODN was continuously intracerebroventricularly infused by an osmotic minipump (1 μl/h) for 48 h, starting 24 h before pMCAO. Control rats received vehicle alone. n = 5–8 animals in each group. *p < 0.05 versus vehicle, scrambled, and sense ODN-treated groups.