Neuroprotective Effect of Growth Hormone in Neonatal Rat with Hypoxic Ischemic Brain Injury

Yu, Jae Hong; Song, Kyu Sang; Ann, Ren Zhe

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the neuroprotective effect of growth hormone(GH) on neuronal cell necrosis and apoptosis at 1 week and 3 weeks after hypoxic ischemic brain injury.
METHODS
Sprague-Dawley rats, seven-day-old, were used. Rats were anesthetized with ether less than 5 minutes. The right carotid artery was cut between double ligation. And then, rats were allowed to recover for 30 minutes followed by exposure to 8% oxygen at 37 degrees C for 2 hours for hypoxic ischemic insult. The study group was divided into 2 groups, control group(N=3) and GH treated group(N=3). GH treated group received intraperitoneal injection of GH 1 IU 2 hours after hypoxic ischemic insult following daily adminstration as same dose for 5 days. Rats were decapitated at 1 week and 3 weeks after hypoxic ischemic brain injury. After then, right hippocampal CA1 and CA3 neurons of rat brains were examined.
RESULTS
Necrosis was significantly less in GH treated group than control group, and was more prominent at 3 weeks in both groups. The apoptosis was not found in GH treated and control group.
CONCLUSION
GH has a neuroprotective effect on neuronal cell deaths(especially necrosis) from 1 week to 3 week after hypoxic ischemic insult in neonatal rat.