Involvement of GMRP1, a novel mediator of Akt pathway, in brain damage after intracerebral hemorrhage.

GMRP1, also known as BTBD10, has been reported to inhibit apoptosis of neuronal and islet beta cells via Akt pathway. The present study attempted to investigate whether GMRP1 and its mediated Akt pathway were involved in brain injury of rats after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Rat models of ICH had been established successfully. Western blotting was used to investigate the levels of GMRP1 protein in caudate nuclei tissues of hemorrhagic and contralateral sides at 6 h, day 1, day 3, day 5, day 7 after ICH. Phosphorylation of Akt was determined in caudate nuclei mentioned above. TUNEL assay was used to measure the cell apoptosis. GMRP1 protein levels, as well as phosphorylations of Akt, significantly decreased in caudate nuclei of hemorrhagic side, compared with those of contralateral side at day 1, day 3 after ICH. Enhanced cell apoptosis was observed in hemorrhagic side by TUNEL assay. We presented here evidence that decreased GMRP1-mediated Akt pathway contributed to cell apoptosis in hemorrhagic side, suggesting that GMRP1 played an important role in brain damage after ICH.