Effects of hyperbaric oxygen on hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in rats with acute carbon monoxide poisoning.

INTRODUCTION

Acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning causes serious health problems such as neuropsychological sequelae. This study aimed to investigate neuronal apoptosis and the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) on different regions of the rat hippocampus after CO poisoning.

METHODS

90 mature male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: the normal control group (NC group), the acute carbon monoxide-poisoned group (CO group) and the hyperbaric oxygen treatment group (HBO₂ group). CO exposure included 0, 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 treatment days, one exposure on the first day, and sacrifice on each of the following days. HBO₂ exposure included treatment for 0, 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days, daily treatment after CO exposure, and sacrifice after the last HBO₂ treatment on each of those days. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemical staining, immunofluorescence staining, and western blot analysis were performed to detect apoptosis in brain tissue samples.

RESULTS

MMP-9 and caspase-3 were prominently increased by CO exposure and inhibited by HBO₂ in the CA3 region in the hippocampus at one, three and seven days (immunohistochemical staining [IHC]: P ⟨ 0.05). Neu N and the ratio of Bcl-2/ BAX were prominently decreased by CO exposure and rescued by HBO₂ in the CA3 region after seven days of treatment (IHC: P ⟨ 0.05).

CONCLUSION

These findings indicated that neuronal apoptosis in the rat hippocampus could be induced by acute CO exposure, especially in the CA3 region. HBO₂ could effectively inhibit neuronal apoptosis, especially in the CA3 region after seven days of treatment. The application of HBO₂ to inhibit MMP-9 and apoptosis may contribute to brain recovery after acute CO poisoning.