Apoptosis-related protein expression in rabbits with blast brain injury following early hyperbaric oxygen therapy

We treated detonator-explosion-induced craniocerebral injury in rabbits with hyperbaric oxygen 1-24 hours post-injury. Expression of the apoptosis-regulating protein cytochrome c, the pro-apoptotic protein Bax and the apoptosis marker caspase-3 in the tissues surrounding the area of injury was significantly reduced, while that of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was significantly increased. Our findings indicate that the curative effects of early hyperbaric oxygen on cortical cell apoptosis is associated with suppression of cytochrome c release from mitochondria. This mechanism underlies the observed reduction in Bax expression and upregulation of Bcl-2 expression.