Influence of octanol protreatment on neuronal apoptosis and expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein in hippocampus in Kainic acid induced epileptic rats

Objective To observe the influence of gap junction blocking agent——octanol protreatment on neuronal apoptosis and expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) in hippocampus in Kainic acid(KA) induced epileptic rats. Methods One hundred and sixty SD rats were randomly divided into KA group,octanol group,normal saline(NS) group and dimethylsulfoxide(DMSO) group.The epileptic model was established by KA injected in right amygdaloid nucleus of rats.Octanol was injected in rat's celiac in octanol group at 30 min before the model made.The apoptosis cells and GFAP expression in hippocampus CA3 region were detected by terminal deoxynuceotidy transferase mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) and immunohistochemical staining method respectively at 3 h,6 h,12 h,24 h and 7 d after model made. Results In the hippocampus CA3 region,the TUNEL positive cells were expressed at 6 h after the model made in KA group,gradually increased with the time,and reached peak at 7 d.Compared with KA group,the quantity of TUNEL positive cells in octanol group at 6 h-7 d after models made were significantly less(all P0.01).The quantity of GFAP positive cells in the hippocampus CA3 region in KA group were increased with time,and significantly more than octanol group at each time point(all P0.01). Conclusion The neuroprotective mechanism of octanol may be related to inhibit the cell gap junction communication,cut off the apoptotic signals,and reduce neurons apoptosis.