Effects of Lidocaine on the Rho/ROCK Signal Transduction of the Posterior Basilar Artery in Rabbit SAH

Objective To observe the expression of Rho/Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway in the basilar artery and the effect of lidocaine on this signaling pathway after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in rabbits. Methods 24 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into sham operation (sham) group, SAH group, and occipital cisterna lidocaine (CD) group. There were 8 rabbits in each group. Intracisternal injection of non-anticoagulant autologous arterial blood (1 mL/kg) were applied to SAH group and CD group animals to establish SAH model, sham normal saline group was injected with 37℃ physiological saline (1 mL/kg); after 30 min, CD group was injected with 0.3 mL 2% lidocaine cisterna, SAH group and sham group were injected with saline. After 72 h, food intake and neurologic function damage were measured. The expressions of Rho associated kinase 2 (ROCK2) and myosin light chain (MLC) and calmodulin (CaM) protein in the basilar artery were measured by Western blot. The ROCK2 and MLC and CaM gene expressions were measured by using real-time quantitative PCR. Results Compared with sham group, reduced food intake, various degrees of neurological impairment, increased ROCK2 mRNA and protein expressions in basal artery, and decreased MLC and CaM expressions were observed in SAH group and CD group (P<0.05). Compared with the SAH group, there was no statistically significant difference in diet intake and neurological damage in the CD group (P>0.05); the mRNA and protein expressions of ROCK2 in the basilar artery decreased, and the expressions of MLC and CaM increased (P<0.05). Conclusion Intracisternal injection of lidocaine may inhibit the transmission of Rho/ROCK signal in the basilar artery and reduce the basilar artery smooth muscle contraction after SAH.