THE EXPRESSION OF Bcl-2 AND Bax PROTEIN IN THE APOPTOSIS OF NEURONS FOLLOWING HYPOXIA/REOXYGENATION

Objective The study is to investigate the dynamic expression of Bcl 2 and Bax protein in the apoptosis of primary cultured rat cortical neurons following hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R)and its relation with apoptosis. Methods The cortical neurons of E16 17 days fetal rat was primarily cultured.The apoptosis model of primary cultured cortical neurons following H/R was established by using TUNEL staining and flow cytometry.The dynamic expression of Bcl 2 and Bax protein at different H/R time was investigated with immunohistochemical method. Results 1.H/R can cause apoptosis of primary cultured rat cortical neurons.In the experiment of H 2R 0,H 4R 0,H 6R 0,H\-8R\-0 and H 2R 18 ,H 4R 18 ,H 6R 18 ,H 8R 18 ,the apoptosis cells occurred after 4 hour hypoxia.The apoptosis cell increased with the time,and reaching peak value at H 8H 18 .2.In the experiment of solo hypoxia group,the expression of Bcl 2 protein decreased with hypoxia time,but Bax increased.They showed obviously negative correlationship.Furthermore,the rate of apoptotic cell also showed obviously negative correlation with Bcl 2 and positive correlation with Bax.However,in hypoxia/reoxygenation group,no correlation was found. Conclusion The apoptosis of primary cultured rat cortical neurons could be induced by H/R.That hypoxia causes the increase of the expression of Bcl 2 protein and the decrease of the expression of Bax protein could be one of the mechanisms of apoptosis.