Effect of ketamine anesthesia in early pregnancy on the c-fos mRNA and c-jun mRNA expression in offsprings of rats / 中华麻醉学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of ketamine anesthesia in the early pregnancy on the c-fos mRNA and c-jun mRNA expression in the offsprings of rats. Methods Thirty pregnant SD rats at 5-13 days of gestation were randomly divided into control group and ketamine group (n = 15 each). Ketamine 20 mg/kg was injected intravenously through tail vein followed by 2 h infusion at a rate of 130 mg·kg-1 ·h-1 in ketmine group.While the equal volume of normal saline was given instead of ketamine in control group. The learning and memory function of the offsprings were tested by Morris water maze test on postnatal day 20 and 30. The hippocampal tissues were taken to detect the expression of c-fos mRNA and c-jun mRNA and to observe the ultrastructure. Results Compared with group C, the escape latency was significantly prolonged at 2 days during the test which was performed on postnatal day 30, but there was no significant difference in the expression of c-fos mRNA and c-jun mRNA on postnatal day 20 and 30 and in the indices mentioned above on postnatal day 20 in ketamine group (P ＞0.05). The damage to hippocampal neurons happened in ketamine group. Conclusion The mechanism by which ketamine anesthesia in the early pregnancy inhibits the cognitive function of the offsprings is related to the hippocampal neuron damage, but not related to the expression of c-fos mRNA and c-jun mRNA in hippocampus.