The protective effect of the ketogenic diet on traumatic brain injury-induced cell death in juvenile rats.
BACKGROUND
The ketogenic diet (the KD) is an effective treatment for intractable epilepsy, especially in the paediatric population, and a growing number of studies have shown the neuroprotective role of the KD. However, few studies focused on the neuroprotective effects of the KD in traumatic brain injury (TBI). The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the KD on TBI.


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 60) were randomly divided into four groups according to the diet fed (the KD vs normal diet) and whether brain was injured or not. TBI was produced using Feeney weight drop model. Brain oedema was estimated by wet/dry weight ratio; Bax and Bcl-2 mRNA levels were determined by RealTime-PCR; Bax and Bcl-2 protein levels were detected by Western blot. Furthermore, cellular apoptosis in the penumbra area was examined using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) method.


RESULTS
The results indicated that both Bax mRNA and protein levels were significantly elevated 72 hours after TBI and decreased by KD administration. Neither TBI nor the KD affected Bcl-2 mRNA and protein levels. KD administration also reduced brain oedema and cellular apoptosis.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the KD might be a useful treatment for children suffering from the consequences of TBI.
Hu
Zhi-Gang
ZG
Department of Neurosurgery, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
Wang
Han-Dong
HD
Qiao
Liang
L
Yan
Wei
W
Tan
Qi-Fu
QF
Yin
Hong-Xia
HX
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D055423:Diet, Ketogenic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein