Sophoricoside attenuates neuronal injury and altered cognitive function by regulating the LTR-4/NF-κB/PI3K signalling pathway in anaesthetic-exposed neonatal rats

Introduction: This study examined the protective effects of sophoricoside on neuronal injury and cognitive dysfunction in anaesthetic-exposed neonatal rats.

Material and methods: Neuronal injury was induced in rat pups by exposure to isoflurane (0.75%) with 30% oxygen for 6 h on P7. The protective effects of sophoricoside were evaluated by assessing cognitive function using the neurological score and Morris water maze. Neuronal apoptosis was assessed in hippocampus tissue using a TUNEL assay. The cytokine and macrophage inflammatory protein levels were assessed by ELISA. Western blot assays and RT-PCR were performed to assess the expression of NF-κB, TLR-4, Akt, and PI3K proteins in neuronal tissues. Immunohistochemical and histopathological changes were observed in the brain tissues of isoflurane-induced neuronal injury rats.

Results: The sophoricoside treatment improved cognitive and neuronal function in rats exposed to isoflurane. Cytokine and MIP levels in the brain tissues of isoflurane-exposed rats decreased. However, sophoricoside treatment attenuated the expression of TLR-4, PI3K, and Akt protein in the brain tissues of isoflurane-exposed rats. The histopathology improved in the sophoricoside-treated isoflurane-exposed rats.

Conclusions: Sophoricoside treatment protects against neuronal injury and reduced cognitive function in isoflurane-induced neuronal injury rats by regulating TLR-4 signalling.