[Effect of progesterone on MMP-3 expression in neonatal rat brain after hypoxic-ischemia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of progesterone on matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) expression in neonatal rat brain after hypoxic-ischemia. METHODS: Followed the hypoxic-ischemia of neonatal rat brain, Evans blue (EB) staining and transmission electron microscopy were used to detect the blood-brain barrier pathological changes on permeability. MMP-3 protein expression in cerebral cortex was measured with Western blot. RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy results showed that the blood brain barrier in hypoxic-ischemic group changed significantly compare to progesterone group. EB staining results suggested that the blood-brain barrier permeability of hypoxic-ischemic group was significantly increased compared to sham-operated group (P < 0.01). The blood-brain barrier permeability in progesterone group was also decreased in comparison to that of hypoxic-ischemic group (P < 0.05). Western blot image analysis results indicated that MMP-3 protein expression in the hypoxic-ischemic group increased significantly than that in sham-operated group (P < 0.01), and the progesterone group was decreased significantly than that in hypoxic-ischemic group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Progesterone may reduce the blood-brain barrier damage by reducing MMP-3 expression. This might be one of the protective mechanisms in the hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.