title: Increased Dickkopf-1 expression is correlated with poisoning severity in carbon monoxide-poisoned humans and rats.
abstract: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning results in neuronal injury. The expression of Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) has not been investigated previously after CO poisoning.
  
  
  
  The current study aimed to investigate the DKK-1 expression levels in humans and rats with acute CO poisoning and to analyze their correlation with poisoning severity.
  
  
  
  We measured serum DKK-1 levels in patients with acute CO poisoning (n = 94) and in healthy controls (n = 90). On admission, a poisoning severity score (PSS) was determined for each patient. In addition, 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into three groups: (a) Sham group, (b) Low CO group and (c) High CO group. At 2 h after CO poisoning, DKK-1 expression and histopathological damage in the hippocampal tissues were measured.
  
  
  
  Serum DKK-1 levels were significantly higher in the acute CO-poisoned patients, compared to the healthy controls. Serum DKK-1 levels were significantly higher in the CO-poisoned patients with a lower PSS. In rats, CO poisoning induced significant upregulation of the gene and protein expression of DKK-1 in hippocampal tissues. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between DKK-1 levels and the degree of damage in the hippocampal tissues.
  
  
  
  DKK-1 induction in neurons after CO poisoning causes further neuronal injury. The severity of acute CO poisoning in rat models is associated with elevated serum DKK-1 levels and its upregulation in the brain tissue.
  
  
  
  DKK-1 appears to have potential utility in providing valuable information for determining the severity and damage of CO poisoning.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency , the First Hospital of Jilin University , Changchun , China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency , the First Hospital of Jilin University , Changchun , China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency , the First Hospital of Jilin University , Changchun , China.
authors.forename: Dawei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency , the First Hospital of Jilin University , Changchun , China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Emergency , the First Hospital of Jilin University , Changchun , China.
authors.forename: Jihong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xing
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: C501126:DKK1 protein, human; C531384:Dkk1 protein, rat; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
keywords: Carbon monoxide poisoning; DKK-1 upregulation; Dickkopf-1; neuronal histopathological damage; severity