C1q/
tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related protein-3 (CTRP3) is a recently discovered
adiponectin paralog with established metabolic regulatory properties. However, the role of CTRP3 in
intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is still mostly unresolved. The aim of the present report was to explore the possible
neuroprotective effect of CTRP3 in an ICH rat model and to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms. ICH was induced in rats by intracerebral infusion of autologous arterial blood. The effects of exogenous CTRP3 (recombinant or lentivirus CTRP3) on
brain injury were explored on day 7. Treatment with CTRP3 reduced
brain edema, protected against disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), improved neurological functions and promoted angiogenesis. Furthermore, CTRP3 greatly intensified phosphorylation of
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in addition to expression of
hypoxia inducing factor-1α (HIF-1α) and
vascular endothelial growth factor (
VEGF). Finally, the protective effects of CTRP3 could be blocked by either AMPK or
VEGF inhibitors. Our findings give the first evidence that CTRP3 is a new proangiogenic and neuroprotective
adipokine, which may exert its protective effects at least partly through an AMPK/HIF-1α/
VEGF-dependent pathway, and suggest that CTRP3 may provide a new therapeutic strategy for ICH.