[Experimental studies on peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors in brain in rats with hepatic encephalopathy]

By means of radioligand binding assay, peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors (PBR) in the telencephalon, diencephalon, brain stem and cerebellum, were investigated in a rat model with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Binding to PBR was studied using [3H]PK11195 as radioligand. It was demonstrated that only densities (Bmax) of [3H]PK11195 binding to crude synaptosomal membranes in the telencephalon, diencephalon of HE rats were obviously increased as compared with those of controls (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05 respectively). Increased affinities (Kd) were only observed in brain stem (P < 0.05). The results showed that the alterations of PBR in different regions of the brain play a significant role in the pathogenesis of HE.