Long-term cilostazol treatment reduces gliovascular damage and memory impairment in a mouse model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion

Sci Rep. 2017 Jun 27;7(1):4299. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-04082-0.

Abstract

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion is a major cause of age-related vascular cognitive impairment. A well-characterised mouse model has shown that hypoperfusion results in gliovascular and white matter damage and impaired spatial working memory. In this study, we assessed whether cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, could protect against these changes. Adult, male C57Bl/6J mice were subjected to bilateral common carotid artery stenosis or a sham operation and fed normal or cilostazol diet for three months. Cilostazol treatment reduced the impairment in working memory and white matter function after hypoperfusion. Endothelial adhesion molecules and gliosis, increased after hypoperfusion, were ameliorated with cilostazol treatment. Interestingly, the improvement in working memory was closely correlated with reduced microglia and endothelial adhesion molecules. Further, the number of stroke lesions after hypoperfusion was reduced in the cilostazol-treated group. Altogether cilostazol showed potential to ameliorate the gliovascular damage and working memory impairments after hypoperfusion possibly via endothelial protection supporting its potential use in the treatment of vascular cognitive impairment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Ischemia / drug therapy
  • Brain Ischemia / etiology
  • Brain Ischemia / pathology*
  • Brain Ischemia / psychology*
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / genetics
  • Cell Adhesion Molecules / metabolism
  • Cilostazol / pharmacology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Gene Expression
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Memory, Short-Term / drug effects*
  • Mice
  • Microglia / drug effects*
  • Microglia / metabolism*
  • Microglia / pathology
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology*
  • White Matter / drug effects
  • White Matter / metabolism
  • White Matter / pathology

Substances

  • Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Cilostazol