Apoptosis and the activity of ceramide, Bax and Bcl-2 in the lungs of neonatal rats exposed to limited and prolonged hyperoxia

Bibliographic Details
Title: Apoptosis and the activity of ceramide, Bax and Bcl-2 in the lungs of neonatal rats exposed to limited and prolonged hyperoxia
Authors: Bitar Fadi F, Nasser Michel, Panjarian Shoghag, Khayat Aline, Bitar Hala, Dbaibo Ghassan S, Husari Ahmad W, El-Sabban Marwan, Zaatari Ghazi, Mroueh Salman M
Source: Respiratory Research, Vol 7, Iss 1, p 100 (2006)
Publisher Information: BMC, 2006.
Publication Year: 2006
Collection: LCC:Diseases of the respiratory system
Subject Terms: Diseases of the respiratory system, RC705-779
More Details: Abstract Background The aim of the study is to examine the effect of limited and prolonged hyperoxia on neonatal rat lung. This is done by examining the morphologic changes of apoptosis, the expression of ceramide, an important mediator of apoptosis, the expression of inflammatory mediators represented by IL-1β and the expression of 2 proto-oncogenes that appear to modulate apoptosis (Bax and Bcl-2). Methods Newborn rats were placed in chambers containing room air or oxygen above 90% for 7 days. The rats were sacrificed at 3, 7 or 14 days and their lungs removed. Sections were fixed, subjected to TUNEL, Hoechst, and E-Cadherin Staining. Sections were also incubated with anti-Bcl-2 and anti-Bax antisera. Bcl-2 and Bax were quantitated by immunohistochemistry. Lipids were extracted, and ceramide measured through a modified diacylglycerol kinase assay. RT-PCR was utilized to assess IL-1β expression. Results TUNEL staining showed significant apoptosis in the hyperoxia-exposed lungs at 3 days only. Co-staining of the apoptotic cells with Hoechst, and E-Cadherin indicated that apoptotic cells were mainly epithelial cells. The expression of Bax and ceramide was significantly higher in the hyperoxia-exposed lungs at 3 and 14 days of age, but not at 7 days. Bcl-2 was significantly elevated in the hyperoxia-exposed lungs at 3 and 14 days. IL-1β expression was significantly increased at 14 days. Conclusion Exposure of neonatal rat lung to hyperoxia results in early apoptosis documented by TUNEL assay. The early rise in Bax and ceramide appears to overcome the anti-apoptotic activity of Bcl-2. Further exposure did not result in late apoptotic changes. This suggests that apoptotic response to hyperoxia is time sensitive. Prolonged hyperoxia results in acute lung injury and the shifting balance of ceramide, Bax and Bcl-2 may be related to the evolution of the inflammatory process.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1465-9921
Relation: http://respiratory-research.com/content/7/1/100; https://doaj.org/toc/1465-9921
DOI: 10.1186/1465-9921-7-100
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/df2ba8c5359e4c0397aa88bf6ce93f0b
Accession Number: edsdoj.f2ba8c5359e4c0397aa88bf6ce93f0b
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:14659921
DOI:10.1186/1465-9921-7-100
Published in:Respiratory Research
Language:English