[Time-dependent expression of caspase-3 during contused skeletal muscle wound healing in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of caspase-3 during contused skeletal muscle wound healing in rats and to explore the applicability of caspase-3 in wound age estimation.


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats undergone anesthesia with 2% pentobarbital sodium (45 mg/kg) were struck by a single strike at the skeletal muscle of the right leg, then were sacrificed by cervical dislocation at different post-traumatic intervals. The changes of caspase-3 activity were assessed by imunohistochemistry, Western blot and caspase-3 colorimetric assay. The skeletal muscle of non-contusion rat's were used as controls.


RESULTS
No caspase-3 was detected in skeletal muscle in the control group. The expression level of caspase-3 in the peripheral area of contused rat skeletal muscle increased gradually and maximized on the fifth day after injury, and then decreased gradually. Caspase-3 was also detected in the regenerated skeletal muscle within 7-14 days after injury.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of capase-3 in the peripheral area of contused rat skeletal muscle indicated that it may play a pivotal role in apoptosis of the wounded skeletal muscle and may be used as a marker for wound age estimation. The expression of capase-3 in regenerating skeletal muscle suggests that caspase-3 activity may be used for skeletal muscle differentiation.
Wang
Qi
Q
School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.
Guan
Da-Wei
DW
Zhao
Rui
R
Peng
Xue
X
Zhang
Jian-Jun
JJ
Yang
Da-Li
DL
D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003288:Contusions / Q000201:enzymology*; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000293:injuries*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing
C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3