A Proteomic Evaluation of Sympathetic Activity Biomarkers of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis by Western Blotting Technique Following Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury.

Endocrine disorders and autonomic dysfunction are common paradigms following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Alterations in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis following TBI may result in impaired vasopressor response, energy imbalance, fatigue, depression, or neurological disorders. Autonomic dysfunction is a common disorder following TBI. The sympathetic activity markers on HPA axis can be measured by Western blot protein analysis. Tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine beta hydroxylase are the key enzymes for the synthesis of norepinephrine; and neuropeptide Y (NPY) is the peptide that is co-stored and co-released with norepinephrine. Thus, the present chapter reviews the experimental protocols for Western blot protein analysis for the measurement of biomarkers that indicate sympathetic activity in brain regions (hypothalamus, pituitary, cerebral cortex, and cerebellum) following TBI.