RESUMO
Objective To study the changes in Bcl-2/adenovirus EIB 19kD-interacting protein 3(BNIP3)expression in the hippocampus of rats following transient forebmin ischemia. Methods Ten adult male Wistar rats were randomized into sham operation group(n=5)andischemia-rcperfosion group(n=5),and the rats in the latter group were subjectedto global ischemia for 15 min followed by repeffusion for 72 h.Nissl's staining was used to examine the neuronal death in the hippocampus induced by global brain isehemia.Another 14 adult male Wistar rats Were randomly divided into 3 groups,namely group 1 with sham operation(n=4),group 2 with global cerebral isehemia followed by reperfusion for 1 h(n=5),and group 3 with global isebemia and reperfusion for 6 h(n=5).All the rats were sacrificed to examine BNIP3 expression in the hippocampus using Western blotting. Results Compared with the sham operation group,the ischemia-reperfusion(72 h)group showed obvious neuronal death in the hippoeampal Cal region,where the neurons presented with irregular shape,cell shrinkage and nuclear fragmentation. BNIP3 monomer expression significantly increased in the hippocampus after isehemia-reperfusion in comparison with that in the sham operation group(P<0.05),but the length of reperfusion time(1 and 6 h)did not significantly affected BNIP3 monomer expression (2.543±0.473vs3 2.942±0.777,P>0.05).No significant difference was found in the expression level of BNIP3 dimers between the sham operation, ischemia-reperfusion 1 h and 6 h groups(P>0.05).Conclusion The expression of BNIP3 is up-regulated in the hippocampus of rats with transient forebrain ischemia.