OBJECTIVETo investigate the mRNA expression of monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8), a thyroid hormone transport protein, in the lateral ventricle of rats with cerebral ischemia.

METHODSImmunofluorescence staining was used to observe the expression of MCT8 in the lateral ventricle of 5 normal SD rats. Another 20 adult male SD rats were randomized into 4 groups and subject to permanent ligation of both the common carotid arteries (2-vessel occlusion, 2VO) for 3 days, 2 weeks, or 5 weeks, or no ligation (control). At the end of the experiment, the transcriptional level of MCT8 in the brain tissue of the rats were detected using fluorescent quantitative PCR.

RESULTSMCT8 mRNA levels in 3-day and 2-week 2VO groups were comparable with that in the control group (P=0.909; P=0.694), but increased significantly in 5-week 2VO group compared with that in the control and 3-day 2VO groups (P=0.029; P=0.023). No significance was found in MCT8 mRNA between the 2-week and 5-week 2VO groups (P=0.065).

CONCLUSIONProlonged cerebral ischemia causes compensatory increase of MCT8 mRNA expression on the capillary endothelial cell membranes in the lateral ventricle of rats.