Induction of Cerebral Ischemic Tolerance by Erythromycin Preconditioning Reprograms the Transcriptional Response to Ischemia and Suppresses Inflammation

Background A single dose of the macrolide antibiotic erythromycin can induce tolerance against cerebral ischemia in vivo (pharmacologic preconditioning). This study identified potential mechanisms of tolerance induction by assessing effects of erythromycin preconditioning on the cerebral transcriptional response to transient global cerebral ischemia. Methods Preconditioned and nonpreconditioned rats were exposed to 15 min of global cerebral ischemia, and changes in cerebral gene expression were identified by complementary DNA expression array and quantified by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results Ischemia caused a widespread up-regulation of transcription in n…