Ultrastructural changes of hippocampus in guinea pigs with chronic asthma and the effects of hypoxia treatment / 第三军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the ultrastructural changes of hippocampus in the guinea pigs with chronic asthma and the effects of hypoxia treatment on the hippocampal ultrastructures. Methods The replicated animal model of chronic asthma was divided into hypoxia(low pressure chamber) treatment group, normal pressure hypoxia inhaling treatment group, non treatment group and control group. The ultrastructural changes of hippocampus were observed with electron microscope. Results Expanded rough endoplasmic reticulum, ruptured cloudy mitochondrion carina, decreased synaptic vesicles and swollen postsynaptic membrane, proliferation of astrocytes and microglia proliferated, swelling of cytoplasm, vacuolation, broadened milieu interspace of blood vessels, swelling of cloudy basement membrane with constricted duct cava were found. After hypoxia, clear neuron nucleoli, plenty organells, slightly expanded rough endoplasmic reticulum, fairly plenty synaptic vesicles, more dense post synaptic membrane and slightly broadened synaptic space were also found. No apparent pathologic changes were found in glial cells and the blood vessels. Conclusion Recurrent chronic asthma may result in the ultrastructural changes of hippocampus due to hypoxia. Treatment with low pressure hypoxia and normal pressure hypoxia may be helpful to the improvement of ultrastructural injury of hippocampus due to asthma.