Level of bFGF and its receptor FGFR1 mRNA in rat brain following injury caused by moderate lateral fluid percussion / 中国法医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective Study on the pattern of changes of bFGF and FGFRl mRNA occurred in the experimental brain injury model in order to provide scientific basis for the diagnosis, forensic identification and clinical treatment, and also for further ascertaining the molecular mechanism of brain injury. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups normal control, sham operation, and injury groups. The rats of injury groups were subjected to moderate lateral fluid percussion brain injury (0.2MPa). The injury groups was then subdivided into 30min, 1h, 3h, 6h, 12h, 1d, 3d and 7d groups according to the time elapsed after injury. In situ hybridization (ISH) and RT-PCR were used for studying the mRNA expression of both bFGF and FGFRl factors. Results (1) In the brain of normal control and sham operation control groups, mRNA levels of bFGF and FGFRl were low; (2) There is gradual increase of bFGF and FGFRl mRNA levels could be observed 6h to 3d after injury both in cortex and brain stem, then partly declined at 7d; (3) In hippocampus, the gradual increase occurred during 3h- 1d after injury, then partly declined at 3d, and returned to basal level at 7d. Conclusions The results suggested that brain injury induced the gene expressions of bFGF and FGFR1. The bFGF may contribute to maintenance of nerve cell survival and the repair of damaged neural tissues after CNS injury and the patterns of their level change were quite regular. It is potentially useful for timing of injury in forensic medical practice.