摘要In this study, we hypothesized that an increase in integrin αvβ3and its co-activator vascular endothelial growth factor play important neuroprotective roles in ischemic injury. We performed ischemic preconditioning with bilateral common carotid artery occlusion for 5 minutes in C57BL/6J mice. This was followed by ischemic injury with bilateral common carotid artery occlusion for 30 minutes. The time interval between ischemic preconditioning and lethal ischemia was 48 hours. Histopathological analysis showed that ischemic precondi-tioning substantially diminished damage to neurons in the hippocampus 7 days after ischemia. Evans Blue dye assay showed that ischemic preconditioning reduced damage to the blood-brain barrier 24 hours after ischemia. This demonstrates the neuroprotective effect of isch-emic preconditioning. Western blot assay revealed a signiifcant reduction in protein levels of integrinαvβ3, vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor in mice given ischemic preconditioning compared with mice not given ischemic preconditioning 24 hours after isch-emia. These ifndings suggest that the neuroprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning is associated with lower integrinαvβ3 and vascular endothelial growth factor levels in the brain following ischemia.