EFFECT OF VITAMIN E ON CEREBRAL HYPOXIA-ISCHEMIA IN NEONATAL RAT
Oh YK1, Seok JE1, Park ST2
1 Department of Pediatrics, Wonkwang University Hospital, Korea
2 Department of Anatomy, Wonkwang University Hospital, Korea
Objective: In order to evaluate the
hypoxia-ischemia induced neurotoxic effect and the protective effect of
vitamin E as an antioxidant, cell number and cell viability were measured
in cerebral neurons and astrocytes derived in neonatal rats.
Methods: 7-day old neonatal rats were subjected to
unilateral common carotid artery occlusion, and exposed to hypoxic
condition (8% oxygen at 37C) for 3 hours. The protective effect of vitamin
E, as an antioxidant was examined by XTT assay and cell number on 14 days
after hypoxia-ischemia when rat were received an intraperitoneal injection
of vitamin E (100U/kg) immediately following hypoxia-ischemia.
Results: Hypoxic-ischemic condition positively decreased
the cell number and cell viability of rat cerebral neurons in a
time-dependent manner when rats were killed 72 hours after
hypoxia-ischemia. 72 hours after hypoxia-ischemia, cell number and
viability of astrocytes were slightly decreased compared with saline
treated group. In rat treated with vitamin E, the cell number and cell
viability of neurons were significantly increased compared with those of
the saline- or non-treated group. In hypoxic-ischemic treated rats after 14
days from hypoxia-ischemia, astrocytes were significantly proliferated, but
vitamin E showed the protective effect on hypoxia-ischemia induced cell
proliferation and cell viability.
Conclusion: It is suggested that hypoxic-ischemic
condition is more toxic in neurons than astrocytes, and selective
antioxidant such as vitamin E, especially when it was administered within 2
hours after hypoxia-ischemia, is highly effective in protecting the cell
death of neurons and astrocytes from hypoxic-ischemic condition in neonatal
rats.