title: Improved cognitive outcome after progesterone administration is associated with protecting hippocampal neurons from secondary damage studied in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Previous studies reported that progesterone could improve cognitive outcome following TBI. Moreover, some evidence implied that the hippocampus is associated with cognitive function. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of progesterone on hippocampal neurons in vitro and in vivo, and its inﬂuence on the cognitive outcome. In vitro, the model of primary cultured hippocampal neurons against glutamate-induced excitotoxic damage was used. After 10-day culture, neurons were pretreated with progesterone in a concentration 10 ng/ml, 48 h before a 5-min exposure to 200 μmol/l glutamate. Then 24h after glutamate exposure, the nerve cells were observed and LDH was detected. The results showed progesterone protected the cultured hippocampal neurons morphology and significantly reduced the amount of LDH. In vivo, the model of TBI was established by modified Feeney's weight-dropping method. The progesterone was given in a dose of 16 mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection 1h post injury and subsequent injections subcutaneously at 6h and 12h after TBI. Brain samples were extracted at 24h after injury. Histology and the iNOS expression were examined by Nissl stain, immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The cognitive outcome was assessed by Morris water maze test (MWM). The results revealed that the neuronal cell damage and the expression of iNOS in the hippocampus CA1 were significantly decreased after progesterone administration. Progesterone significantly improved cognitive outcome after TBI. The results suggest that the positive effects of progesterone on cognitive outcome may be linked to protecting hippocampal neurons from secondary damage.
authors: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan 063000, Hebei, China. Electronic address: sidaowen@126.com.
authors: Daowen
authors: D
authors: Si
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei United University, Tangshan 063000, Hebei, China.
authors: Peng
authors: P
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300000, China.
authors: Rongcai
authors: R
authors: Jiang
authors: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan 063000, Hebei, China.
authors: Hongxia
authors: H
authors: Zhou
authors: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan 063000, Hebei, China. Electronic address: wht92725@163.com.
authors: Haitao
authors: H
authors: Wang
authors: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan 063000, Hebei, China.
authors: Yuxin
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D011374:Progesterone; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
keywords: Cognitive function; Hippocampal neuron; Progesterone; Traumatic brain injury