Increased expression of transcription initiation factor IIB after rat traumatic brain injury

The protein TFIIB is a general transcription initiation factor that plays a pivotal role in the preinitiation complex (PIC) and selects the transcription initiation site. However, its distribution and function in the central nervous system (CNS) remains unclear. In the present study, we mainly investigated the expression and cellular localization of TFIIB during traumatic brain injury (TBI). Western blot analysis revealed that TFIIB was present in normal rat brain cortex. It gradually increased, reached a peak at the 5th day after TBI, and then decreased. Importantly, more TFIIB was colocalized with astrocytes and microglia, which are largely proliferated. In addition, Western blot detection showed that the 5th day post injury was also the proliferation peak indicated by the elevated expression of PCNA. Importantly, injury-induced expression of TFIIB was colabelled by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (proliferating cells marker). These data suggested that TFIIB may be implicated in the proliferation of astrocytes and microglia and the recovery of neurological outcomes. But the inherent mechanisms remained unknown. Further studies are needed to confirm the exact role of TFIIB after brain injury.