神经细胞凋亡和Caspase-3表达与脑损伤时间的关系

目的观察脑挫伤后神经细胞凋亡和调节因子Caspase-3表达的时序变化，探索损伤时间推断的新方法。方法采用TUNEL和免疫组化染色方法，结合图像分析技术对不同损伤时间组的脑挫伤组织进行染色观察和分析。结果①TUNEL和Caspase-3免疫组化染色的阳性细胞分布在挫伤灶中央及其周围的半影区，与远隔部位和对照组脑组织呈阴性染色形成明显对比；半影区比中央区更显著，两者差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。②脑挫伤后随着损伤时间的延长，半影区TUNEL染色和Caspase-3表达逐渐增强，呈平行关系；48h内两种染色方法的平均积分光密度（IOD）增加与损伤时间呈线性关系（r分别为0．93和0．69）。结论观察脑挫伤后神经细胞凋亡和Caspase-3的表达随损伤时间逐渐增强的变化规律，可以作为损伤时间推断的新方法。

The Relationship of Injury Timing with the Change of Neuronal Apoptosis and the Expression of Caspase-3 after Brain Contusion

Objective To investigate and analyze the changes of neuronal apoptosis and the expression of caspase-3 for finding out a new method of injury timing after brain contusion in human.Methods The tissue was stained by TUNEL for apoptosis and by immunohistochemistry for caspase-3.Image analysis technique was employed.Results The nerve cells stained positive by TUNEL and Caspase-3 immunohistochemistry were distributed in the penumbra and central area.Both these areas were in striking contrast with the distal area or those of control group.The positive staining was more prominente in penumbra area than in central area(P<0.05).The changes of TUNEL staining and expression of Caspase-3 in penumbra area gradually increased with the survival period after injury;they were parallel to each other.There were linear relationships between the time of injury in 48 hours and the increase in the mean of integral optical density(IOD),the coefficient of correlation(r) being 0.93 and 0.69 for the two staining methods,and two linear regression formulae were induced,respectively.Conclusion Observations on the increasing of neuronal apoptosis and Caspase-3 expression in relation with the survival period after injury could be utilized in the timing of brain contusion.