Alterations of cholinergic receptors and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter after lateral fluid percussion injury in newborn piglets

• Published in: Neuropathology and applied neurobiology 2010-04, Vol.36 (3), p.225-236
• Main Authors: Donat, C. K., Walter, B., Deuther-Conrad, W., Wenzel, B., Nieber, K., Bauer, R., Brust, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Autoradiography; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - physiopathology; Brain Injuries - physiopathology; Cerebrovascular Circulation - physiology; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Medical sciences; muscarinic; Neurology; newborn pig; nicotinic; Oxygen - metabolism; Random Allocation; receptor; Receptors, Muscarinic - metabolism; Receptors, Nicotinic - metabolism; Swine; traumatic brain injury; Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins - metabolism; vesicular transporter
• ISSN: 0305-1846; 1365-2990
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2990.2009.01050.x

C. K. Donat, B. Walter, W. Deuther‐Conrad, K. Nieber, R. Bauer and P. Brust (2010) Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology36, 225–236
Alterations of cholinergic receptors and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter after lateral fluid percussion injury in newborn piglets Aims: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability in children. Adult animal models of TBI showed cholinergic alterations. However, there is no comparable data on immature animals. Therefore, this study investigates cholinergic markers in a large animal model of juvenile TBI. Methods: Twenty‐seven female newborn piglets were subjected to lateral fluid percussion (FP) injury and compared with 12 untreated animals. After 6 h, animals were sacrificed and the brains removed. The hemispheres ipsilateral to FP‐TBI from seven piglets and corresponding hemispheres from six control animals were used for autoradiography. Receptor density was determined with [3H]epibatidine (nicotinic acetylcholine receptors) or [3H]QNB (muscarinic acetylcholine receptors). The density of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (vAChT) was assessed with (−)‐[3H]vesamicol. Cerebral blood flow was measured by coloured microsphere method. Results: Cerebral blood flow and brain oxygen delivery were transiently reduced early after FP‐TBI (P