title: Antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects of darbepoetin-α against traumatic brain injury in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this study, we tried to determine whether darbepoetin-α would protect the brain from oxidative stress and apoptosis in a rat traumatic brain injury model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The animals were randomized into four groups; group 1 (sham), group 2 (trauma), group 3 (darbepoetin α), group 4 (methylprednisolone). In the sham group only the skin incision was performed. In all the other groups, a moderate traumatic brain injury modelwas applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following trauma both glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase levels decreased (p < 0.001 for both); darbepoetin-α increased the activity of both antioxidant enzymes (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001 respectively). Trauma caused significant elevation in the nitric oxide synthetase and xanthine oxidase levels (p < 0.001 for both). Administration of darbepoetin-α significantly decreased the levels of nitric oxide synthetase and xanthine oxidase (p < 0.001 for both). Also, trauma caused significant elevation in the nitric oxide levels (p < 0.001); darbepoetin-α administration caused statistically significant reduction in the nitric oxide levels (p < 0.001). On the other hand, malondialdehyde levels were increased following trauma (p < 0.001), and darbepoetin α significantly reduced the malondialdehyde levels (p < 0.001). Due to the elevated apoptotic activity following the injury, caspase-3 activity increased significantly. Darbepoetin-α treatment significantly inhibited apoptosis by lowering the caspase-3 activity (p < 0.001). In the darbepoetin group, histopathological score was lower than the trauma group (p = 0.016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, darbepoetin-α was shown to be at least as effective as methylprednisolone in protecting brain from oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation and apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hayri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kertmen
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bora
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gürer
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdal Resit
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Refik Saydam National Public Health Agency, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kanat
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ata Türker
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Arikok
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Berrin Imge
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Ergüder
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Health, Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Askin Esen
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hasturk
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Julide
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ergil
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Education and Research Hospital, Neurosurgery Clinic, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeki
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sekerci
keywords: antiapoptosis; antioxidation; darbepoetin-α; methylprednisolone; neuroprotection; rat; traumatic brain injury