The effect of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) pretreatment on hippocampal apoptosis in traumatic rats

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious medical problem that affects the quality of life. Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death that happens after trauma. Effector caspases are responsible for initiating apoptosis.

Methods: In the present study, we examined the effect of LPS preconditioning (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg, ip; 5 days prior controlled cortical injury) on apoptosis, 4 and 12 hours after trauma. We investigated possible mechanisms on the expression of caspase3 and caspase7 in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 areas by using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting techniques and also TUNEL-positive cells.

Results: Higher expression of caspase3 and caspase7 were accompanied by a higher number of dead neurons in traumatic rats 4 and 12 hours after trauma(P < 0.05). LPS preconditioning decreased caspase3 and caspase7over-expression and the number of dead neurons in the hippocampus(P < 0.05).

Discussion: Our data indicate that LPS preconditioning inhibits neural damage and apoptosis induced by trauma in the hippocampus.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Controlled cortical injury
• LPS preconditioning
• Apoptosis
• Caspase 3
• Caspase7

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences [8142].

Notes on contributors

Mansoureh Eslami

Mansoureh Eslami is a master of Physiology from Tehran University, PhD of neuroscience from Iran University. She is an assistant professor of Physiology in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical sciences. Her field of researches are on learning & memory, epilepsy and trauma.

Leila Alizadeh

Leila alizadeh is a master of biochemistry, she worked as a researcher at Shefa Neuroscience Research Center for 8 years. Her  researches are on MS,SD and trauma, and in this way she instructed several techniques such as, western blotting, Cell culture, Tissue culture, ICC, IHC, PCR, 2d electrophoresis.

Parastoo Morteza-Zadeh

Parastoo Morteza-Zadeh is a master of animal physiology. Her researches are on memory and cell trapy of Multiple sclerosis, and in this way she instructed several techniques such as, western blotting, PCR, Cell culture, Tissue culture, ICC.

Mohammad Sayyah

Mohammad Sayyah is Doctor of Pharmacy from Tehran University. PhD of Pharmacology from Shahid Beheshti University. His field of researches are on neuroscience and epilepsy.