Figure 2. NAE 16:0 protects from I/R-induced apoptosis.

(A) Representative photomicrographs of hematoxilin/eosin (HE) staining within the ischemic area of the cortex in sham-operated and ischemicreperfusion rats with or without NAE 16:0 treatment. Yellow arrows indicate pyknotic nuclei, indicative of cells undergoing apoptosis. Fewer pyknotic nuclei were observed following I/R in the presence of NAE 16:0. Scale bar: 100 μm. (B) TUNEL labeling revealed a substantially reduced number of TUNEL-positive cells in the presence of NAE 16:0. In sham-operated animals, almost no TUNEL-positive cells were identified (data not shown). Scale bar: 50 μm. (C) For quantification of pyknotic nuclei and TUNEL-positive cells, five areas in each section were analyzed. Areas are indicated here on a TTC-stained section of a vehicle-treated rat following I/R. Areas 1-3 are cortical and lie in the ischemic core and penumbral zone, whereas areas 4-5 represent subcortical areas mainly falling in the ischemic penumbral zone. (D) Treatment with NAE 16:0 reduced the number of pyknotic nuclei following MCAO/reperfusion significantly by 53%, compared with vehicle-treated control. (E) Similarly, the number of TUNEL-positive cells was 60% lower in NAE 16:0 treated brain sections, compared with vehicle control, indicating that NAE 16:0 treatment protects from induction of apoptosis and cell-death pathways. Data are presented as mean ± s.e.m. for each group. * p<0.05, *** p<0.001, using one-way ANOVA with Newman Keuls multiple comparison post-hoc test.

Reprinted from reference 9, Garg P, Duncan RS, Kaja S, Zabaneh A, Chapman KD, Koulen P. Lauroylethanolamide and linoleoylethanolamide improve functional outcome in a rodent model for stroke. Neurosci Lett. Apr 4 2011;492(3):134-138, with permission from Elsevier Ltd.; permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.