Effects and mechanisms of CTRP3 overexpression in secondary brain injury following intracerebral hemorrhage in rats

Exp Ther Med. 2022 Jan;23(1):35. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10957. Epub 2021 Nov 9.

Abstract

C1q/TNF-related protein-3 (CTRP3) is a novel adipokine that serves an important role in oxidative stress, anti-apoptosis, anti-inflammation and immune regulation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective role of CTRP3 against intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)-induced brain injury. A model of autologous arterial blood-induced ICH was constructed in rats. Intracerebral infusion of a lentivirus carrying the CTRP3 gene was used to induce CTRP3 overexpression in the brain. The effects and mechanisms of CTRP3 overexpression on brain injury were investigated by detecting brain edema, blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, neurological function and inflammatory-associated factors 3 days after ICH. The present results demonstrated that CTRP3 overexpression ameliorated ICH-induced neurological dysfunction, decreased brain edema, maintained BBB integrity and attenuated inflammation. The protective effect of CTRP3 overexpression was associated with increased activation of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that CTRP3 overexpression protected against ICH-induced brain injury in rats, potentially via activating the SIRT1 signaling pathway.

Keywords: C1q/TNF-related protein-3; blood-brain barrier; brain edema; intracerebral hemorrhage; neurological dysfunction.

Grants and funding

Funding: The present study was supported by grants from Natural Science Foundation of the Sichuan Provincial Education Office (grant no. 18ZA0529),Science Foundation of Southwest Medical University (grant no. 0903-00030982), The Science Foundation of the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University (grant no. 2017-PT-7) and The Doctoral Scientific Research Start-up Fund Project of the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University (grant no. 18058).