Structural Changes in the Elements of the Blood-Brain Barrier of the Hippocampus in Rats after Exposure to Perinatal Hypoxia and the Potential for Their Pharmacological Correction

Abstract

Objectives. To study the dynamics of structural changes in elements of the blood-brain barrier of the hippocampus during the early postnatal period and subsequent ontogeny after exposure to perinatal hypoxia and to investigate the potential for pharmacological correction of these changes. Materials and methods. Experiments were performed on Wistar laboratory rats with a model of the encephalopathy of premature human infants using electron microscopy. Results. Perinatal hypoxia was followed by detection of structural damage to capillary walls: there were increases in the size of endotheliocytes, increases in the numbers of cytoplasmic processes, changes in the diameter of capillary lumens, and delays in the formation of the basal membrane. A marked endothelium-protecting effect was seen with the formulation Salifen at all study time points. Salifen was found to decrease the intensity of the reactions of elements of the blood-brain barrier to the harmful actions of perinatal hypoxia. Conclusions. Perinatal hypoxia has marked damaging effects on all elements of the blood-brain barrier of the hippocampus, the induced lesions being detected at both the early stages of postnatal development and in animals reaching adulthood. Use of Salifen immediately after exposure to perinatal hypoxia eliminated much of the structural damage to endotheliocytes and the basal membrane by the juvenile period. This study provides grounds for believing that the use of Salifen in ischemic brain injury in neonates has potential and our series of further preclinical studies will be continued.