Progesterone protects blood‑brain barrier function and improves neurological outcome following traumatic brain injury in rats

Si,Daowen; Li,Juan; Liu,Jiang; Wang,Xiaoyin; Wei,Zifeng; Tian,Qingyou; Wang,Haitao; Liu,Gang

doi:10.3892/etm.2014.1840

Progesterone protects blood‑brain barrier function and improves neurological outcome following traumatic brain injury in rats

Authors:
- Daowen Si
- Juan Li
- Jiang Liu
- Xiaoyin Wang
- Zifeng Wei
- Qingyou Tian
- Haitao Wang
- Gang Liu
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Affiliations: School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei 063000, P.R. China, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang, Henan 453000, P.R. China, Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei 063000, P.R. China
Published online on: July 11, 2014 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2014.1840
Pages: 1010-1014

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Abstract

Inﬂammatory responses are associated with blood‑brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction and neurological deficits following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of progesterone on the expression of the inflammatory mediators prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cyclooxygenase‑2 (COX‑2), nuclear factor κB (NF‑κB) and tumor necrosis factor‑α (TNF‑α) in the brain, BBB permeability, cerebral edema and neurological outcome, as well as to explore the mechanism of its neuroprotective effect. In this study, male rats were randomly divided into three groups: a sham‑operated group (SHAM), a TBI group (TBI) and a progesterone treatment group (TBI‑PROG). The TBI model was established using a modified Feeney's weight‑dropping method. Brain samples were extracted 24 h following injury. The expression levels of COX‑2 and NF‑κB were examined using immunohistochemistry, whilst the expression levels of PGE2 and TNF‑α were detected by enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay. BBB permeability was analyzed using Evans blue and cerebral edema was determined using the dry‑wet method. The neurological outcome was evaluated using the modiﬁed neurological severity score test. The results revealed that progesterone treatment significantly reduced post‑injury inflammatory response, brain edema and Evans blue dye extravasation, and improved neurological scores compared with those in the TBI group. In conclusion, the inhibition of inﬂammation may be an important mechanism by which progesterone protects the BBB and improves neurological outcome.

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