title: Alpha lipoic acid inhibits neural apoptosis via a mitochondrial pathway in rats following traumatic brain injury.
abstract: Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is a powerful antioxidant that has proven protective effects against brain damage following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are not well understood. This study investigated the effect of ALA on neural apoptosis and the potential mechanism of these effects in the weight-drop model of TBI in male Sprague-Dawley rats that were treated with ALA (20 or 100 mg/kg) or vehicle via intragastric administration 30 min after TBI. Brain samples were collected 48 h later for analysis. ALA treatment resulted in a downregulation of caspase-3 expression, reduced the number of positive cells in the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay and improved neuronal survival. Furthermore, the level of malondialdehyde and glutathione peroxidase activity were restored, while Bcl-2-associated X protein translocation to mitochondria and cytochrome c release into the cytosol were reduced by ALA treatment. These results demonstrate that ALA improves neurological outcome in rats by protecting neural cell against apoptosis via a mechanism that involves the mitochondria following TBI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Southern Medical University (Guangzhou), Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Wuting
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Southern Medical University (Guangzhou), Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China. Electronic address: njhdwang@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Handong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Zixiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Mengliang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Southern Medical University (Guangzhou), Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Litian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Southern Medical University (Guangzhou), Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Jinling Hospital, 305 East Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210002, China.
authors.forename: Heming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008063:Thioctic Acid
keywords: Alpha lipoic acid; Apoptosis; Mitochondria; Traumatic brain injury