title: Subclinical concentrations of sevoflurane reduce oxidative stress but do not prevent hippocampal apoptosis.
abstract: Sevoflurane is generally considered a pro-apoptotic agent in the neonatal brain. However, recent studies have suggested that low levels of sevoflurane anesthesia may be neuroprotective and have a memory enhancing effect. The present study aimed to investigate whether sevoflurane exerts a neuroprotective effect at subclinical concentrations, with regard to oxidative state. In the current study, postnatal day 7 (P7) Sprague‑Dawley rats were continuously exposed to 0.3, 1.3, or 2.3% sevoflurane for 6 h. ELISA was used to quantify the levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH‑px) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the plasma and the hippocampus. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase dUTP nick-end labeling staining was used to observe hippocampal neuronal apoptosis. Altered object exploration tests for recognition memory were employed to investigate long‑term behavioral effects at postnatal day 28. The results demonstrated that a single 6 h exposure to a subclinical concentration (1.3%) of sevoflurane at P7 reduces MDA and GPH‑px production in rats. Sevoflurane induced hippocampal apoptosis in a dose‑dependent manner and altered recognition memory testing indicated no differences among the groups. Although early exposure to a subclinical concentration of sevoflurane reduced oxidative stress, it did not prevent the process of sevoflurane-induced hippocampal apoptosis. These changes did not affect subsequent recognition memory in juvenile rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yu
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Zhong Shan Medical College, Sun Yat‑sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Zhong Shan Medical College, Sun Yat‑sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D000975:Antioxidants; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase