Possible neuroprotective actions of osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) were evaluated in a rat model of cerebral hypoxia/ischemia. Intraperitoneal injection of 50 micrograms of OP-1 prior to bilateral carotid ligation and transient hypoxia in 12-day-old rats reduced cerebral infarct area from 44.8 +/- 3.3% in vehicle-injected controls to 29 +/- 4.9%. Treatment of 14-day-old rats with 20 micrograms of OP-1 1 h after hypoxia reduced mortality from 45% to 13%. OP-1 may represent a novel class of neuroprotective agents.
