Variation of brain derived neurotrophic factor and its mRNA expression in infancy rats after experimental bacterial meningitis / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate the expression and effect of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA and its protein in infancy rats after exposure to bacterial meningitis. METHODS: Three week old rats were used to construct the models of bacterial meningitis (n=30) and mormal(n=18). At 24 h, 48 h, 5 d after inoculating, the expression of BDNF mRNA and its protein were detected by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical staining methods, respectively. RESULTS: The increase in BDNF mRNA expression was detected by in situ hybridization at 24 h in experiment( 0.13320? 0.02750) compared to control( 0.06269? 0.01147)(P0.05). Meanwhile, in the brain from the experiment rats, strong positive hybridization and immunoreactivity were observed in the infiltrated inflammatory cells in leptomeninges, subarachnoid cavity, ventricles and brain parenchyma. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the hypothesis that BDNF might play a neuroprotective role in brain damage process in bacterial meningitis attacked rats. BDNF might take part in imune response. These results also support the hypothesis that BDNF has some relationships with other inflammatory mediators during acute inflammatory response of bacterial meningitis.