Distinct patterns of expression of traumatic brain injury biomarkers after blast exposure: Role of compromised cell membrane integrity

Authors

Peethambaran Arun, Uniformed Services University of the Health SciencesFollow
Rania Abu-Taleb, Blast-Induced Neurotrauma Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Samuel Oguntayo, Blast-Induced Neurotrauma Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Mikiei Tanaka, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Ying Wang, Blast-Induced Neurotrauma Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Manojkumar Valiyaveettil, Blast-Induced Neurotrauma Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Joseph Long, Blast-Induced Neurotrauma Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Yumin Zhang, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Madhusoodana Nambiar, Blast-Induced Neurotrauma Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

Date of this Version

2013

Citation

Neuroscience Letters 552 (2013) 87– 91

Comments

This article is a U.S. government work, and is not subject to copyright in the United States.

Abstract

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a protein enriched in astrocytes, and Tau, a protein abundant inneuronal microtubules, are being widely studied as biomarkers of brain injury, and persistent severity-dependent increases in brain and blood have been reported. Studies on the acute changes of these proteinsafter blast exposure are limited. Using a mouse model of closely-coupled repeated blast exposures, wehave evaluated acute changes in the levels of GFAP and total Tau by Western blotting. Brain levels of GFAPand Tau proteins decreased significantly at 6 h and increased considerably at 24 h after repeated blastexposures. Plasma samples showed a similar initial decrease and later increase over this timeframe. Thisbiphasic pattern points to possible absorption or sequestration of these proteins from plasma immedi-ately after repeated blast exposures. Liver and spleen tissue showed significant increases in the levelsof GFAP and Tau protein at 6 and 24 h post-blast exposures whereas semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysisof liver showed no significant changes in the levels of GFAP or Tau mRNAs. These results suggest thatblast exposure causes transient changes in cell membrane integrity in multiple organs leading to abnor-mal migration of proteins from the tissues to the plasma and vice versa. This transient changes in cellmembrane permeability and subsequent bidirectional movement of molecules may contribute to thepathophysiology of TBI and polytrauma after blast exposure.