Transient elevation of synaptosomal mitoenergetic proteins and Hsp70 early in a rat model of chronic cerebrovascular hypoperfusion

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) might account for the cognitive deficits associated with vascular cognitive impairment, but the mechanisms of hypoperfusion insulting to the cognition remain obscure. In the present study, Wistar rats underwent permanent occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries to induce CCH. 2D-DIGE combined with MALDI-TOF MS was applied to determine the proteins that were differentially expressed in synaptosomes of prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. ATPsyn beta, NDUFS1, UQCRC1 and Hsp70 were elevated both in synaptosomes of cortex and hippocampus at week 2 after operation, but subsided to baseline at week 4 except ATPsyn beta which was still upregulated in synaptosomes of hippocampus at week 4. IDH3A and PDC-E2 were increased, respectively, in synaptosomes of prefrontal cortex and hippocampus at week 2, and showed no difference when compared to control at week 4. Malate dehydrogenase showed no difference in synaptosomes of prefrontal cortex and hippocampus at week 2, but showed an elevation in synaptosomes of prefrontal cortex at week 4. Our results imply that metabolic reserve and anti-oxidative stress might transiently exist in the early stage of CCH, which probably help cognitive save.