Abstract:Objective To investigate the effects of resveratrol on neural cell injury and the levels of immune factors interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 in rats with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).Methods Sixty CSVD rat models were divided into sham-operation group, model group and treatment group, with 20 rats in each group. The neurocognitive functions of rats were determined by water maze tests. The histopathological changes of rat hippocampus were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and the apoptosis rate of neuronal cells within rat hippocampal tissues was measured by TUNEL staining. The protein levels of BAX/BCL-2, IL-6 and IL-10 were detected by Western blotting, while the levels of IL-6, IL-10, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and malonaldehyde (MDA) in the peripheral blood were detected via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results The neurobehavioral scores of rats in the model group were higher than those in the treatment group (P < 0.05). The number of platform crossings was lower and time spent in the target quadrant was shorter in the model group than in the sham-operation group (P < 0.05), while the number of platform crossings was higher and time spent in the target quadrant was longer in the treatment group than in the model group (P < 0.05). The apoptosis rates of neuronal cells within rat hippocampal tissues and the ratio of the protein level of BAX to that of BCL-2 were higher in the model group compared with the sham-operation group (P < 0.05), while those in the treatment group were lower compared with the model group (P < 0.05). In comparison to those in the sham-operation group, the levels of SOD, GSH, and CAT were lower, and the level of MDA was higher in the peripheral blood of rats in the model group (P < 0.05). The levels of SOD, GSH, and CAT were higher, and the level of MDA was lower in the peripheral blood of rats in the treatment group relative to those in the model group (P < 0.05). Compared with the sham-operation group, the level of IL-6 was higher while that of IL-10 was lower in the peripheral blood and hippocampal tissues of rats in the model group compared with the sham-operation group (P < 0.05). Besides, the level of IL-6 was lower while that of IL-10 was higher in the peripheral blood and hippocampal tissues of rats in the treatment group compared with the model group (P < 0.05).Conclusions Resveratrol improves the neurocognitive function, ameliorates the injury of hippocampal tissues and inhibits neuronal apoptosis in CSVD rats, and these effects may be mediated via the regulation of the levels of immune factors IL-6 and IL-10.