RESUMO
OBJECTIVE@#To study the effect of chronic poisoning of ketamine on brain cell apoptosis in adult mouse under different duration and doses.@*METHODS@#The mouse model of chronic poisoning of ketamine was established on adult mouse by tail vein injection of ketamine twice every week with different doses (4, 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg). The mice were sacrificed after continuous injection of ketamine of 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. The qualitative assessment of apoptosis was made by transmission electron microscope and the quantitative assessment was made by Caspase-3 immumofluorescence staining method and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) to estimate the time point of apoptosis. All the experimental results were statistically analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The neuron apoptosis was observed in hippocampus and corpus striatum by transmission electron microscope one week after administration, and continued for eight weeks. High level of Caspase-3 expression was observed one week after administration, but with a low level expression after 4 weeks. The number of TUNEL positive cells obviously increased one week after administration and maintained in a high number at 4 weeks.@*CONCLUSION@#Ketamine by tail vein injection could induce neuron apoptosis in adult mouse.