Abstract

Fullerol compounds have potent antioxidant effects on biological systems. Therefore, we examined whether fullerol pretreatment potentiates the brain antioxidant defense system and decreases.-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) expression during cerebral ischemia/ reperfusion. Experiments were performed in three groups of rats: sham, control ischemic, and ischemic pretreatment groups. Brain ischemia was induced by 90 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by 24 h of reperfusion. Rats received fullerol nanoparticles (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) 30 min before MCAO. Brain infarction, mRNA levels of GGT, glutathione content, and catalase activity were determined after 24 h reperfusion. MCAO induced extensive lesions in the right hemispheres of the control ischemic group (infarct volume 522 +/- 54 mm3) and a concomitant reduction of the glutathione content (45) and catalase activity (56) compared to the sham group. Fullerol in the ischemic pretreatment group significantly decreased the infarct volume (133 +/- 62 mm(3)) and also increased the activity of catalase by 53 compared to control. MCAO additionally increased the mRNA levels of GGT in ischemic hemispheres; however, fullerol considerably decreased the mRNA levels of this gene in the pretreatment group. The findings of the present study indicate that fullerol nanoparticles protect the ischemic brain against ischemia/reperfusion injury through potentiation of the antioxidant defense system and attenuation of GGT expression.