Objective:Toexploretheeffectsofhyperbaricoxygen(HBO)treatmentontheneuronalapoptosisatanearlierstageandtheexpressionsofCytochromeC(CytC),Bcl-2(B-celllymphoma-2family)andBax(Bcl-2associatedXprotein)inratbraintissuesaftertraumaticbraininjury(TBI).Methods:Fortyadultratswerepidedintotwogroups,i.e.,GroupA(theratswithuntreatedTBI)andGroupB(ratswithHBOtreatmentafterTBI).Sectionsofbraintissuesofthesetwogroupswerethendetectedat3,6,12,24,72hoursafterTBIbyimmunohistochemistryandelectronmicroscope,respectively.Results:HBOtreatmentcouldup-regulatetheexpressionofBcl-2within72hours,reducethereleaseofCytCfrommitochondria,attenuatetheformationofdimericBaxandalleviatethemitochondrialedemawithin24hoursafterTBI.Conclusions:HBOtreatmentcanalleviateneuronalapoptosisafterTBIbyreducingthereleaseofCytCandthedimersofBaxandup-regulatingtheexpressionofBcl-2.
