EXPRESSION AND DISTRIBUTION OF REDOX REGULATORY PROTEIN, THIOREDOXIN DURING TRANSIENT FOCAL BRAIN ISCHEMIA IN THE RAT

We assayed redox regulatory protein, thioredoxin (TRX) and TRX mRNA in the rat brain after transient and permanent middle cerebral artery (M CA) occlusion. The immunoreactivity for TRX and TRX mRNA disappeared a fter MCA occlusion in the ischemic core regions. On the other hand, in the perifocal ischemic regions, TRX immunoreactivity and TRX mRNA was enhanced. In addition, in transient MCA occlusion, TRX induction was stronger in the hippocampus and more widespread in the contralateral c ortex than in permanent occlusion. Moreover. the induced TRX was trans located into the cellular nucleus after ischemia and ischemia-reperfus ion. These results suggest that TRX induction was accompanied with rea ctive oxygen intermediates (ROI) overproduction and may play an import ant role not only in scavenging ROI but also in signal transduction du ring ischemia. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reser ved.