Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Compound Tongluo Decoction promotes generation and homing of endothelial progenitor cells after cerebral infarction in rats by activating Shh signaling

Zhen Hui¹, Wei Wu² , Chengcheng Xu¹, Sulei Wang¹, Jianxiang Li¹, Jinghua Zhang¹, Zhennian Zhang¹

¹Department of Neurology, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine; ²Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China.

For correspondence:- Zhennian Zhang Email: huizhen68@sohu.com

Accepted: 29 April 2021 Published: 31 May 2021

Citation: Hui Z, Wu W, Xu C, Wang S, Li J, Zhang J, et al. Compound Tongluo Decoction promotes generation and homing of endothelial progenitor cells after cerebral infarction in rats by activating Shh signaling. Trop J Pharm Res 2021; 20(5):925-931 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v20i5.6

© 2021 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the protective effects of Compound Tongluo decoction (CTD)on neurological function in rats, and the mechanism involved in its angiogenesis-promoting effect.

Methods: Rats were arbitrarily assigned to sham group, permanent middle cerebral artery infarction (pMCAO) group, and PMCAO+CTD group (pMCAO plus 7-day oral treatment with CTD). Neurological deficit scores and volume of stroke-damaged areas were measured after 7 days of treatment. The levels of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BMEPCs) in serum and brain tissues were determined by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. The expression levels of sonic hedgehog (Shh), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and angiopoietin-1(Ang-1) at infarct sites and in BMEPCs were quantitated using western blot assay.

Results: The results showed that CTD markedly ameliorated neurological deficit, reduced volume of affected areas, and promoted the production and homing of BMEPCs. Moreover, CTD upregulated Shh, VEGF and Ang-1expressions at ischemic sites and EPCs, but promoted the proliferation and metastasis of EPCs. The CTD-induced changes were significantly suppressed by Shh inhibitor cyclopamine (CP).

Conclusion: These results demonstrate that CTD promotes angiogenesis after cerebral infarction, probably by stimulating Shh signaling and triggering production and homing of EPCs, thereby providing neuroprotection against cerebral infarction. Thus, CTD is a potential neuroprotective agent against cerebral infarction in humans

Keywords: Compound Tongluo decoction, Cerebral infarction, Angiogenesis, Endothelial progenitor cells, Sonic hedgehog