Expression and significance of proteins associated with apoptosis in hippocampal CA3 Region in epilepsy rats

Objective To investigate the molecular meachanism of neuron apoptosis in epilepsy rats. Methods SD rats were divided randomly into observation group ( 36 rats) and control group ( 12 rats) . Seizure model was prepared by intraperitoneal injection of kainite( KA) in the observation group ,while the control group was treated with equal volume saline. Immunoblotting was performed to examine the expression of proteins associated with apoptosis such as p-c-Jun,FasL, Bax and Bcl-2 at 3 hs,6 hs,12 hs,1 d,3 ds after KA injection. TUNEL staining was used to examine the apoptosis of neuronal cells in hippocampal CA3 Region 7 ds after KA injection. Results Compared with the control group,the expression of p-c-Jun and FasL in the observation group increased significantly at 6hs and 12 hs after KA injection ( all P 0. 05) ; the expression of Bax in the observation group increased dramatically at 6h after KA injection,whereas the level of Bcl-2 decreased sharply( all P 0. 05) ; 7 ds after KA injection,the number of TUNEL-positive cells/1mm of length in the observation group and control group were ( 177. 0 ± 24. 7) and ( 21. 4 ± 6. 8) pieces respectively,P 0. 05. Conclusion Activation of the nuclear and non-nuclear pathways mediated by c-Jun and Bcl-2 respectively participate jointly the neuron apoptosis in epilepsy rats .