The effect of Na(+)/H(+) exchanger-1 inhibition by sabiporide on blood-brain barrier dysfunction after ischemia/hypoxia in vivo and in vitro.

In the present study, we investigated the effects of sabiporide, a specific NHE-1 inhibitor, on blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelial dysfunction during ischemia/hypoxia in rat cerebral ischemia in vivo and bEnd.3 cells in vitro. Sabiporide significantly attenuated ischemia/hypoxia-induced BBB hyperpermeability and disruption of occludin and zonula occludens-1 both in vivo and in vitro. Sabiporide also inhibited the hypoxia-induced increase in [Ca(2+)](i) in bEnd.3 cells. Taken together, the protective effect of sabiporide on BBB permeability may be mediated through maintaining tight junction integrity and associated with its inhibitory effect on [Ca(2+)](i) overload under hypoxia. These results suggest that the BBB protective effect of sabiporide may be of therapeutical benefit in brain injury after an ischemic stroke.