title: [The study on the expression of caspase-3 in experimental brain contusion in rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of caspase-3 in different posttraumatic intervals and severity of brain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study examined brain tissue samples of slight (n = 24), severe (n = 24) brain injury and control (n = 6) of rat, using immunohistochemical staining, western-blot and RT-PCR method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Up-regulating of caspase-3 expression was found in tissue from traumatic brain injury compared with controls in early 1 hour after TBI, and lasted for 14 days. The gray degree and threshold area of caspase-3 positive cells is different in different severity of brain injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increasing of caspase-3 expression indicates that TBI exists. The gray degree, threshold area of caspase-3 positive cells and the cleavage degree of pro-caspase-3 have association with the severity of brain injury.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Suzhou University, Suzhou 215007, China. luyangtao@suda.edu.cn
authors.forename: Lu-yang
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Xi-ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shi-zhong
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Bian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases