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Diagnostic Pathology
Published in: Diagnostic Pathology 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research

Expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in rat brain lesions following traumatic brain injury

Authors: Kai Xu, Zicheng Yang, Rongchen Shi, Chunxia Luo, Zhiren Zhang

Published in: Diagnostic Pathology | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor with multiple functions operating in a variety of organs, including the brain. Recent studies have revealed that AhR played a functional role in traumatic injuries. This paper aims to study the expression of AhR during the early phase following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rat brains by immunohistochemistry.

Methods

Weight-drop induced TBI was performed in rats. The expression of AhR in brain of TBI rats were examined by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Neuron expression of AhR in the rat brains of experiment group had been upregulated since day 3 in lesional hemisphere compared to that of the control group and mainly located in the cytoplasm, indicating an inactivated state. Interestingly, the accumulation of AhR+ non-neuron cells became significant as early as 18 h after injury, which had kept increasing until 24 h post injury and then decreased slowly. For AhR+ non-neuron cells, the AhR mainly located in cell nucleus, indicating a reactive status. Furthermore, double staining showed that most AhR+ non-neuron cells co-localized with W3/13, a marker for T lymphocytes, but not with ED-1 (for activated microglia/macrophages) or GFAP (for activated astrocytes), suggesting that most AhR+ non-neuron cells were T lymphocytes.

Conclusion

This is the first study concerning AhR expression in brains following TBI, and our data demonstrated that AhR was upregulated and activated in T lymphocytes following TBI. More research is needed to make a more conclusive conclusion.
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Metadata
Title
Expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in rat brain lesions following traumatic brain injury
Authors
Kai Xu
Zicheng Yang
Rongchen Shi
Chunxia Luo
Zhiren Zhang
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Diagnostic Pathology / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1746-1596
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13000-016-0522-2

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