Effect of early hyperbaric oxygen on neuronal apoptosis and learning and memory of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effect of early hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on neuronal apoptosis and learning and memory in rats treated with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in 30 min.


METHODS
Experimental rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a sham-operation group, a model group, and a treatment group. Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury model was induced by Zea Longa's method. Neurologic impairment score, apoptosis cell, and the expression of caspase-3 and Bcl-2 protein were observed. The amount across platform and the escape latency (EL) time were determined by Morris water maze.


RESULTS
Neurologic impairment scores at 2 h, 1 d, 2 d, and 3 d of the model group and the treatment group were obviously higher than the sham-operation group (P<0.01), and those at 2 d and 3 d of the treatment group were obviously lower than those of the model group (P<0.05). The number of apoptosis cells and the expression of caspase-3 protein in the model group significantly increased compared with those in the sham-operation group (P<0.01), while those in the treatment group was significantly lower than the model group (P<0.01). Bcl-2 protein expression in the model group increased more obviously than that in the sham-operation group (P<0.01), and that in the treatment group was much higher than the model group (P<0.01). The EL time of the model group was much longer than that of the sham-operation group and the number across platform was obviously decreased compared with that of the sham-operation group (P<0.01), while the EL time of the treatment group was much shorter than that of the model group and the number across platform was more than that of the model group (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Early hyperbaric oxygen could inhibit nerve cell apoptosis suffered cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and improve the function of learning and memory.
Peng
Zhengrong
Z
Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China. pengzr138@yahoo.com.cn
Xiao
Pingtian
P
Guo
Hua
H
Liu
Qinghong
Q
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation / Q000379:methods*; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors
D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3