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Expression of Apoptosis‐Inducing Factor During Hypoxia in the Cerebral Cortex of Guinea Pig Fetus at Term Gestation.
Author(s) -
Ashraf Qazi M,
DelivoriaPapadopoulos Maria
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.1238.11
Subject(s) - fetus , guinea pig , hypoxia (environmental) , apoptosis , cerebral cortex , biology , endocrinology , cerebral hypoxia , gestation , medicine , andrology , chemistry , biochemistry , ischemia , oxygen , pregnancy , genetics , organic chemistry
The mitochondrial protein Apoptosis Inducing Factor (AIF) has been shown to translocate to the nucleus and induce apoptosis. AIF is an important caspase‐independent death regulator in multiple neuronal injury pathways. The present study tests the hypothesis that hypoxia results in increased expression of AIF in the neuronal nuclei of the cerebral cortex of guinea pig fetus at term gestation. To test this hypothesis, we studied guinea pig fetuses at 60 days gestation in normoxia (Nx, n=7) and hypoxic (Hx, n=8) groups. Hypoxia in the fetuses was induced by exposing the pregnant guinea pigs to a FiO 2 of 0.07 for 60 min. Cerebral tissue hypoxia was documented biochemically by determining the tissue levels of ATP and phosphocreatine (PCr). Neuronal nuclei were isolated and separated and probed with specific AIF antibody. Protein bands were detected and analyzed by imaging densitometry. ATP levels (μmoles/g brain) were 4.1 ± 0.8 in the normoxic group and 1.9 ± 0.3 in the hypoxic group. PCr levels were 3.7 ± 0.5 in the normoxic group and 1.7 ± 0.3 in the hypoxic group. Expression of AIF was 62.7 ± 3.4 (Nx) and 173.2 ± 7.6 (Hx). The data show that expression of AIF was higher in hypoxic group as compared to normoxic group. These results demonstrate an alternate pathway of programmed cell death following hypoxia in the cerebral cortex of guinea pig fetus at term. (Funded by St. Christopher's Foundation for Children)