Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Original Articles

Correlation Between Neuronal Apoptosis and Expression of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase after Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia.: Byoung Yuk Yi, Sung Kyoo Hwang, Ku Seong Kang, Hong Hua Quan, Young Mi Lee, Jung Wan Kim, Eun Kyoung Kwak, Ji Young Park, Yoon Kyung Sohn; Korean J Pathol. 2004;38(6):364-371.

Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
Neuronal death in acute-phase cerebral ischemic injury is caused by necrosis. However, neuronal injury after reperfusion can be associated with apoptosis.
METHODS
We used Sprague-Dawley rats whose brains were reperfused after middle cerebral artery occlusion for either 30 min or 2 h. We examined a relationship between apoptosis and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the brain tissue from 3 h to 14 days after reperfusion in both groups.
RESULTS
TUNEL and iNOS positivity were closely related in both groups. The 2-h ischemia group exhibited increases in the amount of TUNEL and iNOS-positive cells for up to 3 days after reperfusion, at which the TUNEL and iNOS-positive cells decreased. The 30-min ischemia group exhibited peak positivity 24 h after reperfusion, followed by a similar decrease. iNOS mRNA expression peaked 3 h after reperfusion in the 30-min ischemia group, at which time it decreased. In the 2-h ischemia group, iNOS mRNA increased 3 h after reperfusion, peaked 24 h after reperfusion, and then decreased.
CONCLUSION
These results indicated the occurrence of delayed apoptosis in transient cerebral ischemia. Increased expression of iNOS is closely associated with this apoptosis, and oxygen free radical-producing materials, such as nitric oxide, may play an important role in the induction of this apoptosis.

Expression of Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Interleukin-1beta and Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase after Stereotaxic Injection of Lipopolysaccharide in Rat Hippocampus.: Hoon Kyu Oh, Ku Seong Kang, Ji Yeon Kim, Eun Kyoung Kwak, Jung Wan Kim, Ji Young Park, Yoon Kyung Sohn; Korean J Pathol. 2004;38(3):157-164.

Abstract PDF: BACKGROUND
Brain inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) might be detectable in several pathologic conditions, and it is thought to play an important role in their pathophysiology. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1beta are believed to be essential factors of iNOS induction of the brain.
METHODS
After intrahippocampal stereotaxic injection of lipopoly-saccharide (LPS), the rat brains were removed at 6, 12 and 24 h. The rat brain tissues were examined to clarify the expression patterns of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and iNOS.
RESULTS
The inflammatory cells which were stained with anti-TNF-alpha antibody, appeared in 6 h and increased for 24 h after LPS injection. The iNOS positive cells appeared after 12 h of LPS injection. A semiquantitative analysis of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed that the TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA arose at 1 h, peaked at 6 h and then declined until 48 h after LPS injection. The iNOS mRNA arose after 6 h, peaked at 12 h, and declined until 48 h after LPS injection.
CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the induction of inflammatory events by intrahippocampal injection of LPS activates TNF-alpha and IL-1beta secretion, and this is followed by an induction of iNOS expression. TNF-alpha and IL-1beta seem to be related with iNOS expression in brain inflammation.

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