Effects of lecithinized superoxide dismutase on neuronal cell loss in CA3 hippocampus after traumatic brain injury in rats.
BACKGROUND
The protective effect of excitatory amino acid antagonists for CA3 hippocampal neuronal loss has been well documentated. From a clinical point of view, however, alternative therapies should also be explored because excitatory amino acid antagonists have relatively deleterious side effects. Administration of lecithinized superoxide dismutase (PC-SOD) has recently been demonstrated to reduce brain edema after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the cerebral cortex. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of PC-SOD on CA3 hippocampal cell loss by examining hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections.


METHODS
Rats were divided at random into three groups. The first group received 1 mL of saline (contusion + saline group, n = 5). Rats of the second group were treated with 3000 IU/kg of PC-SOD (contusion + SOD 1 group, n = 5), while the third group received 5000 IU/kg of PC-SOD (contusion + SOD 2 group, n = 5). All agents were administered intraperitoneally 1 minute after traumatic insult and every 24 hours until 2 or 3 days post-TBI. Animals were sacrificed 3 or 7 days after contusion injury.


RESULTS
PC-SOD prevented CA3 neuronal loss 3 days after TBI, and increased the number of surviving CA3 neurons 7 days after TBI.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that PC-SOD may serve as a pharmacological agent in the treatment of neuronal loss after TBI.
Yunoki
Masatoshi
M
Department of Neurological Surgery, Okayama University Medical School, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama 700, Japan.
Kawauchi
Masamitsu
M
Ukita
Naoya
N
Sugiura
Tomoyuki
T
Ohmoto
Takashi
T
D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C434045:lecithinized superoxide dismutase