Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and neurological disability though mechanisms involving oxidative stress and the activation of apoptosis-related pathways. Retinoic acid, an active metabolite of vitamin A, is known for its neuroprotective effects via antioxidant and anti-apoptotic mechanisms. 14-3-3 γ is abundantly expressed in the brain and plays a critical role in maintaining neuronal function and survival. However, the effect of retinoic acid on the expression of 14-3-3 γ protein has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine whether retinoic acid regulates the expression of 14-3-3 γ protein in the cerebral cortex of a stroke animal model. Male rats were randomly divided into four groups: phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) + sham, retinoic acid + sham, PBS + middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), and retinoic acid + MCAO. Focal cerebral ischemia was induced using the MCAO method. Retinoic acid (5 mg/kg) or PBS was administered intraperitoneally immediately after MCAO. Neurological deficit scores and corner tests were conducted 24 h after MCAO surgery, and the cerebral cortex was harvested for analysis of 14-3-3 γ expression at the mRNA and protein levels. Neurological assessments showed that retinoic acid treatment significantly alleviated MCAO-induced behavioral impairments. Proteomic analysis revealed that MCAO markedly reduced the expression of 14-3-3 γ protein in the cerebral cortex, whereas retinoic acid administration effectively attenuated this reduction. These findings were further supported by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot analyses, which showed consistent results at both the mRNA and protein levels. Retinoic acid attenuates the ischemia-induced downregulation of 14-3-3 γ expression in the cerebral cortex. Our findings can suggest that retinoic acid exerts neuroprotective effects in ischemic brain injury through the regulation of 14-3-3 γ protein expression.

Abstract
서 론
재료 및 방법
    실험 동물
    중간대뇌동맥폐쇄술
    신경학적 결손 점수 검사(neurological deficit score test)
    코너 검사(Corner test)
    뇌 수분 함량 측정(Brain water content measurement)
    이차원겔 전기영동(2-Dimensional gel electrophoresis)
    Reverse transcription-PCR 분석
    웨스턴 블롯 분석(Western blot analysis)
    통계 분석(Sstatistical analysis)
결 과
    MCAO 수술로 인한 뇌 손상 시 레티노산의 투여로 인한행동 장애 개선 및 뇌 부종 완화
    MCAO 수술로 인한 뇌 손상 시 레티노산의 투여로 인한14-3-3 γ 발현 변화
고 찰
감사의 글
REFERENCES

• Ju-Bin Kang(Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute of Life Science)
• Phil-Ok Koh(Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute of Life Science) Corresponding author
• Dong-Ju Park(Division of Animal Bioscience and Integrated Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828, South Korea)