Effect of estrogen and/or progesterone administration
on traumatic brain injury-caused brain edema: the changes
of aquaporin-4 and interleukin-6
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Abstract
Abstract The role of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and
interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the development of brain edema
post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been indicated.
The present study was designed to investigate the effect(
s) of administration of progesterone (P) and/or estrogen
(E) on brain water content, AQP4 expression,
and IL-6 levels post-TBI. The ovariectomized rats were
divided into 11 groups: sham, one vehicle, two vehicles,
E1, E2, P1, P2, E1 + P1, E1 + P2, E2 + P1, and E2 + P2.
The brain AQP4 expression, IL-6 levels, and water
content were evaluated 24 h after TBI induced by
Marmarou’s method. The low (E1 and P1) and high
(E2 and P2) doses of estrogen and progesterone were
administered 30 min post-TBI. The results showed that
brain water content and AQP4 expression decreased in
the E1, E2, P1, and P2-treated groups. The administration
of E1 decreased IL-6 levels. Addition of progesterone
decreased the inhibitory effect of E1 and E2 on the
accumulation of water in the brain.Administration of E1
+ P1 and E1 + P2 decreased the inhibitory effect of E1
on the IL-6 levels and AQP4 protein expression. Our
findings suggest that estrogen or progesterone by itself
has more effective roles in decrease of brain edema than
combination of both. Possible mechanism may be mediated
by the alteration of AQP4 and IL-6 expression.
However, further studies are required to verify the exact
mechanism