Chronic ethanol-induced glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity: an immunocytochemical observation in various regions of adult rat brain.

摘要

In the present study, the effects of chronic ethanol (ETOH) treatment on the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity was investigated in adult rat brains. ETOH were administered as increasing concentrations of 2.4%-7.2% (v/v) gradually for 21 days. Immunocytochemistry revealed that chronic-ETOH treatment increased synthesis of GFAP. The increase in the diameter and the number of GFAP (+) cells were statistically significant compared with the control group (p <. 05). An increase of GFAP immunoreactivity was evident in various white matter and gray matter structures. We concluded that functional astrocytic cells responded to chronic ETOH exposure by increasing the synthesis of GFAP.