Brain caspase-3 and intestinal FABP responses in preterm and term rats submitted to birth asphyxia

Abstract

Neonatal asphyxia can cause irreversible injury of multiple organs resulting in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). This injury is dependent on time, severity, and gestational age, once the preterm babies need ventilator support. Our aim was to assess the different brain and intestinal effects of ischemia and reperfusion in neonate rats after birth anoxia and mechanical ventilation. Preterm and term neonates were divided into 8 subgroups (n=12/group): 1) preterm control (PTC), 2) preterm ventilated (PTV), 3) preterm asphyxiated (PTA), 4) preterm asphyxiated and ventilated (PTAV), 5) term control (TC), 6) term ventilated (TV), 7) term asphyxiated (TA), and 8) term asphyxiated and ventilated (TAV). We measured body, brain, and intestine weights and respective ratios [(BW), (BrW), (IW), (BrW/BW) and (IW/BW)]. Histology analysis and damage grading were performed in the brain (cortex/hippocampus) and intestine (jejunum/ileum) tissues, as well as immunohistochemistry analysis for caspase-3 and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP). IW was lower in the TA than in the other terms (P<0.05), and the IW/BW ratio was lower in the TA than in the TAV (P<0.005). PTA, PTAV and TA presented high levels of brain damage. In histological intestinal analysis, PTAV and TAV had higher scores than the other groups. Caspase-3 was higher in PTAV (cortex) and TA (cortex/hippocampus) (P<0.005). I-FABP was higher in PTAV (P<0.005) and TA (ileum) (P<0.05). I-FABP expression was increased in PTAV subgroup (P<0.0001). Brain and intestinal responses in neonatal rats caused by neonatal asphyxia, with or without mechanical ventilation, varied with gestational age, with increased expression of caspase-3 and I-FABP biomarkers.

The changes in biomarkers for necrotising enterocolitis in premature calves with respiratory distress syndrome

“…In a study, investigating IFABP and brain-caspase-3 responses in preterm and term mice in which an experimental asphyxiated model was established, it was reported that the expression of these markers in the term mice was higher than the preterm ones. It was indicated that the expression of the markers by the gestational age may be related to the different levels of the expression (Figueira et al 2016). It has been reported that a significant portion of TFF3 in rats is expressed late in term pregnancy (Lin et al 1999).…”

Clinical significance of detecting serum melatonin and SBDPs in brain injury in preterm infants

“…Cascade can activate Ca 2þ -dependent enzymes including calpain and caspase-3. 27 a-II spectrin can be degraded by alpain and caspase-3, and the cleavage products are named SBDP145, SBDP150 and SBDP120 respectively according to their quality characteristics after electrophoresis. Previous studies showed that SBDP145, SBDP150, and SBDP120 increased in varying degrees in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with severe brain trauma and in the serum of animals with brain injury or cerebral hypoxia-ischemia.…”

Efeito da oxigenoterapia hiperbárica sobre o intestino e o cérebro de ratos submetidos a modelo experimental de enterocolite necrosante

“…Além disso, as membranas neuronais são ricas em ácidos graxos poli-insaturados, tornando-se alvo para a peroxidação lipídica causada pelo EO (49). Ratos submetidos a hipóxia tiveram aumento do EO, aferido através do aumento da MDA no cérebro e no intestino e da C3 a nível cerebral (116). No traumatismo cerebral, a OHB reduz os níveis do TNF-α e de mieloperoxidases, o que significa redução no ac mulo local de neutrófilos, resultando em menor liberação de radicais livres (117).…”