Dexmedetomidine mitigates neuroinflammation and improves early postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction in rats by enhancing autophagy

Postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction (PND) is a common postoperative complication. Autophagy is correlated with the pathogenesis of PND. This study investigated the potential role of Autophagy in the neuroprotection of Dexmedetomidine (Dex) pretreatment in PND. The PND rat model was established by abdominal surgery. The cognitive function of rats was evaluated by Y-maze 3 days after surgery. Nissl staining assessed postoperative hippocampal damage. Immunofluorescence detected the expression of microglial activation (Iba-1) and autophagy-related protein (LC3B) in hippocampal tissues. Western blot detected the autophagy-related protein expression (Beclin 1, LC3B, and p62), proinflammatory cytokines, and the protein activation of the LKB1/AMPK/ULK-1 signaling pathway. RT-PCR quantified the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL6. In this study, we found Dex pretreatment improved spatial memory function impairment and reduced abdominal surgery-induced hippocampal tissue damage. Dex pretreatment significantly increased the expression of Beclin 1 and LC3 II/I, and decreased the expression of p62 in the hippocampus after surgery. Furthermore, Dex effectively inhibited microglial activation and proinflammatory cytokines by enhancing Autophagy in the hippocampus. Pretreatment with 3-MA, an Autophagy Inhibitor, the inhibitory effect of Dex on postoperative neuroinflammation was significantly weakened. We further demonstrated that Dex suppressed surgery-induced neuroinflammation by activating the LKB/AMPK/ULK1 signaling pathway. In conclusion, our study indicated that Dex inhibited hippocampal neuroinflammation and ameliorated PND by enhancing Autophagy after surgery in rats, which was related to the LKB1/AMPK/ULK1 signaling pathway. These findings provide a potential therapeutic prospect for PND.

Autophagy; Dexmedetomidine; LKB1/AMPK/ULK-1 signaling pathway; Neuroinflammation; Postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction.