Objective: To explore the content change of neurofilament (NF) protein subunits in the experimental brain diffuse axonal injury (DAI) by lateral head rotation. Methods: Twenty-four Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were equally divided into three injury groups (2 h, 12 h,and 24 h post injury) and one control group. The models of DAI were made in the injury groups by lateral head rotation. Western blotting technique was used to measure the content of NF68 (a kind of NF protein subunit) in the brainstem tissues among all the injured and control rats.The NF68 immunohistochemical staining was used in another six SD rats in order to observe the morphological changes in DAI. Results: The NF68 content in the brainstem tended to decrease at 2 h post injury, decreased significantly at 12 h and continued its decrease at 24 h. NF56 and NF52, as the breakdown products of NF68, had a tendency to increase at 2-12 h after the injury, and amounted to a significantly higher level at 24 h. Microscopically, there were a lot of swelling neuronal axons in the ventral part of the medullar oblongata at 2 h after the injury. Some axons were disconnected, and axonal retraction balls formed on their proximal end. Conclusions: There is an occurrence of phosphorolysis within the brainstem in DAI by lateral head rotation. These reactions cause the breakdown of NF68,which results in the decrease of NF68 in content. It suggests that the breakdown of neurofilament protein subunits is an important reason for structural destroy of neurofilaments in DAI.
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