Response of secretory pathways Ca(2+) ATPase gene expression to hyperhomocysteinemia and/or ischemic preconditioning in rat cerebral cortex and hippocampus.

The study determines whether hyperhomocysteinemia (risk factor of brain ischemia) alone or in combination with ischemic preconditioning (IPC) affects the ischemia-induced changes in gene expression of secretory pathways Ca(2+)-ATPase (SPCA1). Hyperhomocysteinemia was induced by subcutaneous administration of homocysteine (Hcy; 0.45 µmol/g body weight) twice a day at 8 h intervals for 14 days. Rats were preconditioned by 5 min ischemia and 2 days later, 15 min of global forebrain ischemia was induced by four vessel occlusion. We observed that hyperhomocysteinemia significantly decreased the level of SPCA1 mRNA in the cortex. Pre-ischemic challenge was noticeable in both brain areas. In the cortex, pre-ischemia in Hcy group led to the abrupt stimulation of the mRNA expression by 249% within the Hcy ischemic group and by 321% in the Hcy control. Values further exceeded those observed in the naive control. In the hippocampus, the differences between naive and Hcy groups were not observed. IPC initiated elevation of mRNA expression to 159% (p < 0.05) of control with Hcy and to 131% (p < 0.01) of ischemia with Hcy, respectively. Documented response of SPCA gene to IPC in hyperhomocysteinemic group might suggest a correlation of SPCA expression consistent with the role of cross-talks between intracellular Ca(2+) stores including secretory pathways in the tolerance phenomenon.