Figure 5
Reduction in pro-apoptotic protein expression with mild hypothermia and C + P combination therapy. ANOVA analyses indicated that there was a significant increase (**P < 0.01) in AIF levels after ischemic stroke (S) at both (a) 6 h (n = 6 per group) and (b) 24 h (n = 6 per group) of reperfusion. Ischemia-induced increase in AIF levels was significantly reversed (**P < 0.01) with combination therapy (S&HD) at both 6 h (F (4,25) = 3.683) and 24 h (F (4,25) = 12.009) of reperfusion. Monotherapy with either mild hypothermia (S&H) (**P < 0.01 at 6 h and 24 h) or C + P alone (S&D) (**P < 0.01 at 24 h) led to varying degrees of reduction in AIF expression. PI3K/Akt inhibitor (S&HD&LY) reversed the combination therapy-induced reduction in AIF levels at 6 h (*P < 0.05) and 24 h (**P < 0.01). Similarly, there was a significant increase (**P < 0.01) in Bax levels after ischemic stroke (S) at both (c) 6 h (n = 6 per group) and (d) 24 h (n = 6 per group) of reperfusion. Although the expression of Bax was decreased by monotherapies (S&H and S&D) at 6 h (F (4,25) = 7.165, **P < 0.01) and 24 h (F (4,25) = 8.510, **P < 0.01), combination therapy (S&HD) further enhanced the decrease in Bax expression. PI3K/Akt inhibitor (S&HD&LY) reversed the combination therapy-induced reduction in Bax levels (*P < 0.05 at 6 h; **P < 0.01 at 24 h). Representative immunoblots are presented.
