endothelin-1 and plerixafor

Forced limb-use can enhance neurogenesis and behavioral recovery as well as increasing the level of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) in stroke rats. We examined whether the SDF-1/CXCR4 pathway is involved in the enhanced neurogenesis and promoted behavioral recovery induced by forced limb-use in the chronic phase of stroke.. The CXCR4 antagonist, AMD3100, was used to block the SDF-1/CXCR4 pathway in the ischemic rats. Brain ischemia was induced by endothelin-1. One week after ischemia, the unimpaired forelimb of rats was immobilized for 3 weeks. The proliferation, migration, and survival of DCX-positive cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ), and the dendritic complexity of DCX-positive cells in the dentate gyrus (DG), as well as the inflammatory response in the infarcted striatum were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Functional recovery was assessed in beam-walking and water maze tests.. Forced limb-use enhanced the proliferation, migration, dendritic complexity and the survival of newborn neurons. Furthermore, forced limb-use suppressed the inflammatory response and improved both motor and cognitive functions after stroke. AMD3100 significantly abrogated the enhanced neurogenesis and behavioral recovery induced by forced limb-use without influencing the inflammatory response.. SDF-1/CXCR4 pathway seems to be involved in the enhancement of neurogenesis and behavioral recovery induced by post-stroke forced limb-use.

Topics: Animals; Benzylamines; Brain; Brain Ischemia; Central Nervous System Agents; Chemokine CXCL12; Cyclams; Disease Models, Animal; Doublecortin Protein; Endothelin-1; Forelimb; Heterocyclic Compounds; Immobilization; Male; Maze Learning; Motor Activity; Musculoskeletal Manipulations; Neurogenesis; Neurons; Random Allocation; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, CXCR4; Recovery of Function; Stroke; Stroke Rehabilitation