title: Alterations of bcl-2, bcl-x and bax protein expressions in area CA-3 of rat hippocampus following fluid percussion brain injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the alterations of bcl-2 gene family in the area of CA-3 in rats and the molecular mechanism of neuronal apoptosis following traumatic brain injury. METHODS: To investigate the alterations of bcl-2 gene family in the area of CA-3 in rats and the molecular mechanism of neuronal apoptosis following traumatic brain injury. RESULTS: The immunoreactivity of bcl-2 and bcl-x proteins decreased in the hippocampus ipsilateral impact site at 6 hours after injury, and this was the main cause of down-regulation of the value of (bcl-2+bcl-x)/ bax. During the period of 1-3 days after injury, bax protein expression increased significantly, while bcl-2 and bcl-x protein expressions decreased relatively slowly. The decreased value of (bcl-2+bcl-x)/ bax was mainly due to the bax up-regulation. CONCLUSIONS: The bcl-2 gene family is involved in neuronal apoptosis after traumatic brain injury, and the protein-expression alterations of the bcl-2 gene family members lead to apoptosis of the neuronal cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, China.
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jiyao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yicheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Guangji
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guoliang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Rujue
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Tingjun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ye