title: Hyperbaric oxygen effects on neuronal apoptosis associations in a traumatic brain injury rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The neuroprotective mechanisms of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy on traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain unclear, especially neuronal apoptosis associations such as the expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth-interacting factor (TGIF), and TGF-β1 after TBI. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects of HBO therapy in a rat model of TBI.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental rats were randomly divided into three groups as follows: TBI + normobaric air (21% O₂ at one absolute atmosphere), TBI + HBO, and sham-operated normobaric air. The TBI + HBO rats received 100% O₂ at 2.0 absolute atmosphere for 1 h immediately after TBI. Local and systemic TNF-α expression, neuropathology, levels of the neuronal apoptosis-associated proteins TGIF and TGF-β1, and functional outcome were evaluated 72 h after the onset of TBI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the TBI control groups, the running speed of rats on the TreadScan after TBI was significantly attenuated by HBO therapy. The TBI-induced local and systemic TNF-α expression, neuronal damage score, and neuronal apoptosis were also significantly reduced by HBO therapy. Moreover, HBO treatment attenuated the expression of TGIF but increased TGF-β1 expression in neurons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that treatment of TBI with HBO during the acute phase of injury can decrease local and systemic proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α production, resulting in neuroprotective effects. We also suggest that decreased levels of TGIF and increased levels of TGF-β in the injured cortex leading to decreased neuronal apoptosis is one mechanism by which functional recovery may occur.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Liouying, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Yue
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wee
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Chiali Chi-Mei Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Nursing, Min-Hwei College of Health Care Management, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sher-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chio
authors.affiliation: Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ko-Chi
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Child Care, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Che-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Biotechnology, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan. Electronic address: kuojinnrung@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jinn-Rung
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors
keywords: Apoptosis; Hyperbaric oxygen therapy; Transforming growth factor-beta1; Transforming growth-interacting factor; Traumatic brain injury; Tumor necrosis factor-alpha