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Neuropediatrics 2012; 43(05): 258-263
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1324730
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Antenatal Supplementation of Taurine for Protection of Fetal Rat Brain with Intrauterine Growth Restriction from Injury by Reducing Neuronal Apoptosis

Jing Liu
1   Department of Neonatology and NICU of Bayi Children's Hospital, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command, Beijing, China
*   These authors contributed equally to this work.
,
Li Liu
2   Laboratory of Morphology Science, Experimental Center for Basic Medical Teaching, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
*   These authors contributed equally to this work.
,
Xiao-Feng Wang
1   Department of Neonatology and NICU of Bayi Children's Hospital, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command, Beijing, China
,
Hui-Yun Teng
1   Department of Neonatology and NICU of Bayi Children's Hospital, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command, Beijing, China
,
Na Yang
1   Department of Neonatology and NICU of Bayi Children's Hospital, General Hospital of Beijing Military Command, Beijing, China
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History

10 December 2011

06 June 2012

Publication Date:
29 August 2012 (online)

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Abstract

This study aimed to investigate whether antenatal taurine can reduce neuronal apoptosis in fetal rat brains with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and its possible mechanisms. A total of 15 pregnant rats were randomly divided into the following three groups: control, IUGR, and IUGR+ antenatal taurine supplements. Neuronal apoptosis was detected using transferase-mediated dUTP biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL); the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 mRNA and proteins was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. In IUGR groups, the results were as follows: (1) the expression of Bcl-2 decreased whereas the expression of Bax increased, accordingly, the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax decreased, (2) the expression of caspase-3 increased significantly, and (3) apoptotic neuron counts in IUGR groups was significantly increased compared with controls. In taurine supplement groups, the results were as follows: (1) the expression of Bcl-2 increased whereas the expression of Bax decreased, accordingly, the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax increased, (2) the expression of caspase-3 in fetal rat cerebral cortex tissues decreased significantly, and (3) the number of apoptotic neurons was significantly decreased compared with IUGR groups. In addition, the changes in the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 mRNA and protein were correlated. So we concluded that antenatal supplementation of taurine may reduce neuronal apoptosis in IUGR fetal rats via up-regulating the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and down-regulating the expression of caspase-3.

Keywords

intrauterine growth restriction - taurine - neuronal - cerebrum - apoptosis - the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax - caspase-3
 

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