Changes in levels of TNF-α and GFAP in brain and spinal cord of rabbits with decompression disease.
- Author:
Cuicui WANG
1
;
Xiaohong LIU
1
;
Ruiqi MAO
1
;
Yongcheng CAO
1
;
Liquan BI
1
;
Ming GENG
2
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Animals; Brain; metabolism; Decompression Sickness; metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; metabolism; Male; Rabbits; Spinal Cord; metabolism; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; metabolism
- From: Chinese Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Diseases 2014;32(8):607-609
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in rabbits with decompression disease (DCS), and to investigate the functioning mechanism.
METHODSA total of 21 healthy adult rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control group, DCS group, and safe relief group, with 7 rabbits in each group. A rabbit DCS model was established by quick decompression. The changes in pathological morphology and mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α and GFAP in the brain and spinal cord of rabbits with DCS were determined by light microscopy, real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry, respectively.
RESULTSCavity formation was observed in the white matter of spinal cord in DCS group. The mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α and GFAP was significantly higher in the DCS group than in the normal control group and safe relief group (P < 0.01), while no significant differences were observed in the brain (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONSpinal cord is the main part of central nervous system injury in DCS. Activation of TNF-α and GFAP genes accompanied by increase in their protein expression can be observed at the early stage of DCS. The astrocytes and TNF-α play important roles in the process of spinal cord injury in DCS.
