CRHR1 exacerbates the glial inflammatory response and alters BDNF/TrkB/pCREB signaling in a rat model of global cerebral ischemia: implications for neuroprotection and cognitive recovery

Abstract This study examined the impact of corticotropin-releasing hormone type 1 receptor (CRHR1) blockade using Antalarmin (ANT) on the expression of markers of neuroplasticity and inflammation, as well as neuroprotection and behavioral recovery following global cerebral ischemia. Male Wistar rats (N = 50) were treated with ANT (2 μg/2 μl; icv) or a vehicle solution prior to a sham or four vessel (4VO) occlusion. Seven days post ischemia, anxiety was assessed in the Elevated Plus Maze and Open Field tests, and fear and spatial learning in a Y-Maze Passive Avoidance Task and the Barnes Maze. Thirty days post ischemia, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) receptor expression, hippocampal neuronal death and inflammation were determined by analyzing immunoreactivity (ir) of neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN), microglia (IBA1, ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1), astrocytes (GFAP, glial fibrillary acidic protein) and TNFα (tumor necrosis factor alpha) a pro-inflammatory cytokine. Our findings revealed that ANT improved behavioral impairments, while conferring neuroprotection and blunting neuroinflammation in all hippocampal sub-regions post ischemia. We also observed reduced BDNF and TrkB mRNA and protein levels at the hippocampus, and increased expression at the hypothalamus and amygdala post ischemia, site-specific alterations which were regularized by pre-ischemic CRHR1 blockade. These findings support that CRHR1 actively contributes to altered brain plasticity, neuronal inflammation and injury and recovery of function following ischemic brain insults.