Effect of sevoflurane anesthesia on DNA methyltransferase mRNA expression in neonatal rat amygdala / 中华麻醉学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of sevoflurane anesthesia on DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) mRNA expression in neonatal rat amygdala. Methods Forty-two 8-day-old SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups ( n = 21 each) control group and experimental group. 5% sevoflurane was inhaled for 1 min, and then the inhaled concentration of sevoflurane was decreased to 3 % and maintained for 4 h. The rats were sacrificed at the end of sevoflurane inhalation and 24 h after the end of sevoflurane inhalation, and amygdala was removed for determination of DNMT, mRNA, DNMT3, mRNA and DNMT3b mRNA expression by RT-PCR. Blood samples were taken at the end of sevoflurane inhalation for blood gas analysis. Results Compared with control group, the DNMT, mRNA and DNMT3, mRNA expression was down-regulated (P ＜ 0.05). There were no significant differences in DNMT3b mRNA expression and parameters of blood gas analysis between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05). Conclusion Sevoflurane anesthesia can down-regulate DNMT, mRNA and DNMT,, mRNA expression in neonatal rat amygdala, which may result in functional deficits during the development of central nervous system.