Abstract
Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is a widely distributed membrane protein, which is found in glial cells, ependymocytes and capillary endothelial cells in the brain, and particularly in the choroid plexus. AQP4 is a key regulator of water metabolism, and changes in its expression following brain injury are associated with pathological changes in the damaged side of the brain; however, the effects of brain injury on AQP4 and injury-induced pathological changes in the contralateral non-damaged side of the brain remain to be fully elucidated. In the present study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to traumatic brain injury (TBI) and changes in brain water content, the expression of AQP4 expression and pathological characteristics in the damaged and contralateral non-damaged sides of the brain were examined. In the damaged side of the brain, vasogenic edema appeared first, followed by cellular edema. The aggravated cellular edema in the damaged side of the brain resulted in two periods of peak edema severity. Pathological changes in the contralateral non-damaged side of the brain occurred later than those in the damaged side; cellular edema appeared first, followed by vasogenic edema, which was alleviated earlier than the cellular edema. AQP4 was downregulated during vasogenic edema, and upregulated during cellular edema. Taken together, these results suggested that the downregulation of AQP4 was a result of vasogenic edema and that the upregulation of AQP4 may have induced cellular edema.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.