Alteration of Apoptosis and Astrocyte in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Objective To observe the alteration of astrocyte and apoptosis in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE).Me-thods The pathological brain specimens of 25 newborns who died of HIE were observed macroscopically and microscopically,included male 14 cases and female 11 cases.The immunochemistry staining with glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)and in situ end terminal dexynucleotidy 1 transferase mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotion nick and labeling(TUNEL)methods were used to observe the changes of astrocyte and the neurons apoptosis in HIE.The relationship between the change of astrocyte and the neurons apoptosis and the occurrence of HIE and course of disease were further synthetically analyzed.Results The brain specimens of 25 newborn HIE had apoptosis cells at the different level.The degree of apoptosis of cerebral neurons was severe in the cases of 24 h-6 d survival(P0.05).The degree of apoptosis of cerebellar neurons was severe in the cases of 3 d survival and that of oblongata neurons was severe in the cases of 24 h-3 d survive(P0.05).All the pathological brain specimens had astrocyte hyperplasia of difference degrees.Cerebellar hyperplasia showed that hyperplasia was severe in the cases who died within 24 h(P0.05),the longer were surviving time the less hyperplasia it showed.Cerebral and medulla oblongata astrocyte hyperplasia was independent of survival time.Cerebral astrocyte hyperplasia in the chronic incomplete hypoxia cases was severe(P0.05).The change of medulla oblongata in the acute complete hypoxia cases was severe(P0.05).The change of cerebral cortex and medulla oblongata were all severe in the cases of mixed hypoxia(Pa0.05).Conclusion The changes of neurons apoptosis and the degree of astrocyte hyperplasi are closely related to the occurrence and course of disease in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.