Cell Apoptosis and the Expression of Apoptosis-inducing Factor in Rats Brain Infectious Injury

Objective:To explore the effect of apoptosis-inducing factor(AIF)and the caspase independent pathway in infectious brain injury.Methods:Models of acute infectious brain injury of rats were prepared by injecting LPS via the left internal carotid artery.One hundred and sixty rats were randomly divided into NS and LPS group.At 6 h、12 h、24 h、48 h and 72 h after acute infectious brain injury,ethidium bromide(EB)content was measured by formamide-method,the expression of NSE protein,GFAP protein and AIF were studied by immunohistochemistry,and apoptosis was examined by TUNEL technique.Results:The expression of NSE,GFAP,AIF and the number of apoptosis in LPS group was increased at 6 h and reached the peak at 24 h,and then decreased gradually at 48-72 h,but still significantly higher than in NS group.Conclusion:Apoptosis plays a role in the formation and development of infectious brain injury of rats.Caspase independent pathway was involved in this process through AIF.