Protective Effect of GM-1 on the Apoptosis of Neurons in Rats after Diffuse Axonal Injury

OBJECTIVE To study the protective effect of GM-1 on the apoptosis of neurons in rats after diffuse axonal injury(DAI). METHODS One hundred and ninety two male Wister rats were divided randomly into control group, sham operated group, DAI group and GM-1 treated group. Rats in DAI and GM-1 treated groups were injured by Marmarou method. GM-1 treated group were treated with GM-1(40 mg·kg^-1·d^-1) in peritoneum after injury, other groups were treated with normal saline for comparison at the same time. The expression of apoptotic protease activating factor-1(Apaf-1) was detected by using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Both the expression of Apaf-1 in DAI rats and GM-1 treated rats began to increase at 3 h after injury and reached the peak at 6 h, then declined. And all of the expression of Apaf-1 in GM-1 treated rats were less than those in DAI rats at 6, 12, 24, 336 h of injury(P<0.05). CONCLUSION DAI can result in the apoptosis of neurons and GM-1 may play a protective role on the apoptosis of neurons in rats with DAI.