The present study has been undertaken to investigate the possible role of Src Kinases in a neuroprotective mechanism of ischemic postconditioning in mice. Bilateral carotid artery occlusion for 12 min followed by reperfusion for 24 h produced a significant increase in cerebral infarct size and neurological severity score along with impairment of memory and motor coordination. Ischemic postconditioning involving three episodes of 10 s carotid artery occlusion with intermittent reperfusion of 10 s proceeding ischemic insult of 12 min, produced a significant decrease in cerebral infarct size and neurological severity score along with reversal of ischemia-reperfusion induced impairment of memory and motor coordination. Ischemic postconditioning induced neuroprotective effects were significantly attenuated by pre-treatment of selective Src Kinase inhibitors SU-6656 (4 mg/kg i.p.) and PP1 (0.2 mg/kg i.p.). It may be concluded that the neuroprotective effect of ischemic postconditioning probably involves activation of Src Kinase pathway.
Keywords: Ischemic postconditioning; Src kinase; cerebral ischemia; neuroprotection.