The prominin-1/CD133 epitope is expressed in undifferentiated cells. Studies have reported that craniocerebral trauma in animal models of fluid percussion injury induces production of a specific stem cell subgroup. It has been hypothesized that fluid percussion injury induces CD133+ cell infiltration in the brain tissue. The present study established a traumatic brain injury model through fluid percussion injury. Immunohistochemical staining showed significantly increased CD133 antigen expression in the rat brain following injury. CD133+ cells were mainly distributed in hippocampal CA1-3 regions, as well as the dentate gyrus and hilus, of the lesioned hemisphere. Occasional cells were also detected in the cortex. In addition, reverse transcription-PCR revealed that no change in CD133 mRNA expression in injured brain tissue. These results suggested that fluid percussion injury induced CD133 antigen expression in the brain tissues as a result of conformational epitope changes, but not transcriptional expression.
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