Relationship between c-fos gene expression and delayed neuronal death in rat neonatal hippocampus following
1Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Railway Medical College, Nanjing 210009, China.
Objective:
To explore the mechanism of perinatal hypoxia-ischemia encephalopathy, we studied the expression of the c-fos gene and its relationship with delayed neuronal death in a rat model.
Methods:
Cerebral hypoxia-ischemia was produced in 7-day-old SD rats using the Rice model. Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) were used to detect the expression of c-fos gene and cell apoptosis in the hippocampus.
Results:
The selective expression of c-fos and delayed cell apoptosis were observed in the hypoxia-ischemia hippocampus. Expression of the c-fos gene was seen in the CA4 and cingulate sulcus neurons, and apoptosis was observed in the CA1 neurons.
Conclusion:
Transient expression of the c-fos gene may induce cerebral cell apoptosis, and may have complex relations with delayed cell death.
