Fan_2012_Zhonghua.Yi.Xue.Za.Zhi_92_2366

OBJECTIVE To explore the protective effects of intranasal IN dosing of nerve growth factor NGF on brain injury induced by organophosphorus compounds OP in rats METHODS The OP-treated Sprague-Dawley rats received an intraperitoneal injection of atropine sulphate and pralidoxime at 1 min after intoxication Then NGF or saline was dosed via the olfactory pathway All rats were sacrificed 24 hours after OP exposure Damaged nerve cells were estimated on corpus striatum strained with hematoxylin-eosin H&E method And the activity of acetylcholinesterase AchE and the concentrations of malondialdehyde MDA and reduced glutathione hormone GSH in corpus striatum were measured by colorimetric method RESULTS As assessed by H&E staining a large number of degenerated and necrotic nerve cells were observed in corpus striatum in rats from in IN saline group But in IN NGF group the number of degenerated neurons was smaller than in IN NS group Following OP exposure the activity of AchE decreased in corpus striatum in both IN saline and IN NGF groups 0.46 0.11 vs 0.35 0.09 U/mg prot No significant differences existed between two groups But the concentrations of MDA in corpus striatum of IN NGF group rats reduced markedly by 25.14 4.02 0.85 vs 5.37 1.33 nmol/mg prot and the level of GSH increased sharply by 15.73 52.82 2.80 vs 45.64 4.88 mg/g prot as compared with IN saline group P 0.05 CONCLUSION Intranasal dosing of NGF may improve neuropathology and protect rats against OP-induced oxidative damage in corpus striatum.