Characterization of a hypoxic-ischemic rat model by studying thioredoxins protein family and behavior

ROMERO J.I.; GALEANO P.; BLANCO CALVO E.; UEHARA J.M.

Huerta Grande

Congreso; XXVI Congreso Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias (SAN); 2011

Brain damage resulting from perinatal cerebral hypoxia ischemia is a major cause of acute mortality and chronic disability in infants and children. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been proposed as an important cause of neuronal death and consequently brain damage after ischemia-reperfusion. In the present work, we study the differential expression of the oxidoreductases of the thioredoxin family of proteins, and their role in the cellular response to oxidative stress in a modified model of perinatal hypoxic ischemia developed by Vannucci (1981) and Levine (1960). In addition, to further characterize the model, we conducted a behavioral test battery including elevated plus maze (EPM), open field (OF), and Morris water maze (MWM). Rats subjected to hypoxia ischemia showed reduced locomotion when exposed to OF and a deficit in the extinction of a spatial memory in the MWM. At a molecular level we have observed several remarkable differences in both abundance and regional distribution of this family of proteins at different times. By means of Western Blot and light microscopy analysis, we have observed some remarkable differential expression of these proteins in the most vulnerable areas of the brain to hypoxia ischemia.