Experimental study of translocator protein expression in an intracerebral hemorrhage model

Abstract

Objective To examine the expression of translocator protein (TSPO) in an intracerebral hemorrhage model in mice. Methods A intracerebral hemorrhage model in mice was induced by using autologous blood injection. The 28-point neurological deficit scale was used to evaluate neurological deficits of different amount of bleeding in the two group of mice (the mean amount of bleeding was 15 μl and 25 μl respectively) at day 1 after intracerebral hemorrhage, and Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of TSPO in the sham operation group, the amount of bleeding 15 μl group, and the amount of bleeding 25 μl group. Western blot and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect the TSPO expression at 12 h, day 1, 3, and 5 after modeling in mice in the amount of bleeding 25 μl group. Results The results of the 28-point neurological deficit scale showed that the neurological defect scores of the 2 groups of intracerebral hemorrhage model mice were significantly higher than the sham operation group (all P 0.05). The TSPO expression level increased gradually at day 1, 3, and 5 after modeling, and it was higher than the sham operation group (all P<0.05). Immunofluorescence staining results showed that the TSPO expression was not obvious at 12 h after modeling, while it increased gradually at day 1, 3, and 5 after modeling, and they mostly expressed in microglia and astrocytes of the perihematomal brain tissue. Conclusions The TSPO expression increases in perihematomal brain tissue after intracerebral hemorrhage in mice. Its expression level is associated with the time after bleeding and bleeding volume, suggesting that it may be associated with the secondary inflammatory response and injury after intracerebral hemorrhage. Key words: Cerebral hemorrhage; Translocator protein; Gliosis; Mice