Immunohistochemical staining of the macrophagic and astrocytic response in the brainstem of Wistar rats submitted to the ethidium bromide gliotoxic model and treated with cyclophosphamide

• Published in: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria Vol. 64; no. 3B; pp. 787 - 793
• Main Authors: Sanchez, Melissa, Bondan, Eduardo Fernandes, Lallo, Maria Anete, Sinhorini, Idércio Luiz, Dagli, Maria Lúcia Zaidan, Maiorka, Paulo Cesar, Pereira, Luis Antonio Violin Dias, Graça, Dominguita Lühers
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese; English
• Published: Brazil 01.09.2006
• Subjects: Animals; Astrocytes - drug effects; Astrocytes - pathology; Brain Stem - drug effects; Brain Stem - pathology; Cyclophosphamide - therapeutic use; Disease Models, Animal; Ethidium - toxicity; Immunohistochemistry; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - pathology; Male; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Staining and Labeling
• ISSN: 0004-282X; 1678-4227
• DOI: 10.1590/S0004-282X2006000500016

The gliotoxic ethidium bromide (EB) was used to study morphologically the macrophagic and astrocytic response under immunosuppression by cyclophosphamide (CY). Astrocyte immunoreactivity to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin (VIM) and macrophagic immunoreactivity to ED1 were investigated after EB injection. Male Wistar rats were injected with 0.9% saline solution (group I), 0.1% BE (group II) and 0.1% EB associated with CY treatment (group III). Brainstem samples were collected from the 1st to the 21st day post-injection for GFAP, VIM and ED1 immunostaining. In groups II and III, it was observed increased immunoreactivity to GFAP and reexpression of VIM. In group II, ED1-positive cells were noted after the 2nd day and in group III, after the 3rd day. On the 14th day post-injection, it was observed a greater quantity of ED1- positive cells in group III than in group II. Apparently, CY did not change the astrocytic response pattern.