Immunohistochemical analysis of GFAP expression in the experimental sepsis-associated encephalopathy

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14739/2310-1237.2021.3.240033

Keywords:

sepsis-associated encephalopathy, astroglial reactivity, GFAP

Abstract

Pathophysiology of sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is linked to blood-brain barrier breakdown, neuroinflammation and neurotransmitter imbalance in the brain. Astroglia, the most abundant cell population within the brain, plays the critical role in control of all kinds of homeostatic processes, thereby regulating the adaptive reactions of the brain to various challenges. Astroglia are highly heterogenous across the brain regions, therefore, damaging factors stimulate heterogenous astroglial reactivity and response in different brain regions.

The aim of this study was determining immunohistochemical features of GFAP expression in various brain regions in the model of rodent experimental sepsis.

Materials and methods. The experiment was performed in Wistar rats: control group of 5 sham-operated rats and the main group of 20 rats subjected to cecum ligation and puncture (CLP) procedure. The immunohistochemical study of GFAP expression in the sensorimotor cortex, subcortical white matter, hippocampal, thalamic and caudate nucleus/putamen regions was performed from 20 to 48 hours of the postoperative period.

Results. Starting from the 12th hour after CLP, animals began display progressive increase in signs of periorbital exudation, piloerection, fever-/hypothermia, diarrhea, social isolation, lethargy, and respiratory impairment. In the period of 20–38 hours, 9 animals showed expressed previously listed symptoms and were euthanized (CLP-B – lethal group), 11 rats survived until 48 hours of the experiment (CLP-A – survived group). In the lethal group, starting from 20 to 38 hours after the CLP procedure, a significant (relative to control) regionally-specific dynamic increase in the level of GFAP expression was observed in the brain: in the cortex – by 465 %, in the subcortical white matter – by 198 %, in the hippocampus – by 250 %, from the 23rd hour – in the caudate nucleus/putamen by 18 %. In the thalamus, no significant changes in the level of GFAP expression were observed. In the cortex and hippocampus of survived animals, 48 h after CLP, higher values of GFAP expression were observed comparing to the group of non-survived animals.

Conclusions. Under conditions of the experimental SAE, an early dynamic increase in the astroglial reactivity was observed in the cortex, hippocampus, white matter, and caudate nucleus/putamen of the brain with the most significant increase of indicators in the cortex and hippocampus, which potentially indicates relatively more vulnerable areas of the brain to damaging factors, as well as places of the most active intercellular interaction in the condition of systemic inflammation. Higher values of GFAP expression in the cortex and hippocampus of survived animals at 48 hours of the experiment, compared with indicators of non-survived group, indicate increased astroglial reactivity in these brain regions at the noted time period, accompanied by relatively more favorable clinical course of the disease.

 

Author Biographies

T. V. Shulyatnikova, Zaporizhzhia State Medical University, Ukraine

MD, PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of Pathological Anatomy and Forensic Medicine

V. O. Tumaskyi, Zaporizhzhia State Medical University, Ukraine

MD, PhD, DSc, Professor of the Department of Pathological Anatomy and Forensic Medicine, Vice-Rector for Research

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Published

2021-12-01

How to Cite

1.
Shulyatnikova TV, Tumaskyi VO. Immunohistochemical analysis of GFAP expression in the experimental sepsis-associated encephalopathy. Pathologia [Internet]. 2021Dec.1 [cited 2026May25];18(3):295-302. Available from: https://pat.zsmu.edu.ua/article/view/240033

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 3 (2021)

Section

Original research

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