Effective treatment with fucoidin for perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in rats

Leukocyte-endothelial adhesion is a key step to initiate post-ischemic reperfusion injury in many organs. In this study, we found that the expressions of P-selectin mRNA and protein were increased in the ipsilateral hemisphere with a peak at 8 h after hypoxia-ischemia in immature brain. Such temporal profiles of P-selectin expression followed by hypoxia-ischemia are consistent with a role in the subsequent brain injury. Because fucoidin is known to inhibit P/L-selectin mediated leukocyte adhesion, we examined whether the treatment of fucoidin attenuates hypoxia-ischemia-induced neural damages. Treatment with fucoidin exhibited a substantial neuroprotective effect in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited the leukocyte adhesion significantly, as revealed by myeloperoxidase activity. These results suggest that anti-adhesion strategy may be an effective therapeutic application for the perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.