Elsevier

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 403, Issue 3, 7 August 2006, Pages 227-232
Neuroscience Letters

Expression of tumor necrosis factor α and neuronal apoptosis in the developing rat brain after neonatal stroke

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2006.03.078Get rights and content

Abstract

Increased expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) has been shown in adult stroke models. However, its expression and relationship with neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rats with transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) have not been clearly elucidated. We studied the expression and distribution of TNFα and neuronal apoptosis in a postnatal Day 10 rat MCAO model using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence double-labeling, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) analyses. We found TNFα mRNA expression increased at 2 h and was maintained at high levels until 24 h after reperfusion. TNFα protein expression was significantly increased from 4 to 8 h (p < 0.01) lasting through 24 h (p < 0.05) after reperfusion compared to the sham controls. TNFα immunoreactive cells were colocalized to neurons in both the core and the penumbra areas of the ischemic cortex. However, apoptotic cells were mainly distributed in the penumbra area and colocalized to neurons as well as to TNFα immunoreactive cells in the ischemic cortex. Our findings suggest that TNFα expression increases after neonatal stroke and is associated with neuronal apoptosis after transient focal cerebral ischemia.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Fundation of China (No. 30570623 to Dezhi Mu), China Medical Board of New York (00-722 to Dezhi Mu), Sichuan Key Science and Technology Project (05SG022-034 to Dezhi Mu), Research fundation of West China Second University Hospital (K098 to Dezhi Mu), and the National Institute of Health (NS 35902 to D.M.F). We sincerely appreciate Dr. Donna Ferriero from University of California San Francisco for the proof reading and help for

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    These authors contributed equally to this report.

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