Changes in levels of TNF-α and GFAP in brain and spinal cord of rabbits with decompression disease / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the changes in expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in rabbits with decompression disease (DCS), and to investigate the functioning mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 21 healthy adult rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control group, DCS group, and safe relief group, with 7 rabbits in each group. A rabbit DCS model was established by quick decompression. The changes in pathological morphology and mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α and GFAP in the brain and spinal cord of rabbits with DCS were determined by light microscopy, real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Cavity formation was observed in the white matter of spinal cord in DCS group. The mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α and GFAP was significantly higher in the DCS group than in the normal control group and safe relief group (P < 0.01), while no significant differences were observed in the brain (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Spinal cord is the main part of central nervous system injury in DCS. Activation of TNF-α and GFAP genes accompanied by increase in their protein expression can be observed at the early stage of DCS. The astrocytes and TNF-α play important roles in the process of spinal cord injury in DCS.</p>