Neuronal Death Following Soman Intoxication: Necrosis or Apoptosis?

Abstract

We investigated the temporal progression of apoptotic cell death in the rat piriform cortex after soman intoxication. At various time intervals after seizure onset, animals were euthanized. Brain sections were stained with microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2), Fluoro- Jade B (FJ-B) and in situ oligo ligation (ISOL). MAP-2 immunoreactivity was markedly decreased at 12 hr and 24 hr. FJ-B staining was evident as early as 1 hour after onset of seizures. The proportion of FJ-B positive cells was maximal at 12 hr and declined at 24 hr. The first presentation of ISOL staining was found at 24 hr. Ultrastructurally, no apoptotic cells were readily observed; necrotic neurons were dark and shrunken, with swollen mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum in the neuronal cytoplasm and neuropil. The decline of MAP-2 staining and the increase in FJ-B labeling over the 24-hr period indicates that brain injury progresses with longer survival times. In addition, initial neuronal death following soman-induced seizures appears to be primarily mediated by necrosis since ISOL staining cells were not evident until 24 hr and FJ-B staining does not discriminate between necrotic and apoptotic cells. Therefore, a subpopulation of neurons surviving the initial necrotic phase dies by apoptosis.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA503361

Entities

People

  • Christina P. Tompkins
  • Denise M. Fath
  • Gerald P. Ballough
  • Margaret G. Filbert
  • Robert K. Kan
  • Tracey A. Hamilton

Organizations

  • United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Apoptosis
  • Arteries
  • Brain
  • Brain Injuries
  • Cell Physiological Processes
  • Cells
  • Cellular Structures
  • Cytoskeleton
  • Electron Microscopy
  • Epilepsy
  • Neurodegeneration
  • Neurosciences
  • Organophosphorus Compounds
  • Programmed Cell Death
  • Rodents
  • Seizures
  • Transmission Electron Microscopy

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Immunology and Pathology
  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Neuroscience