INCREASES IN SULFATED GLYCOPROTEIN-2 MESSENGER-RNA LEVELS IN THE RAT-BRAIN AFTER TRANSIENT FOREBRAIN ISCHEMIA OR PARTIAL MESODIENCEPHALIC HEMITRANSECTION

Sulphated glycoprotein-2, thought to be involved in programmed cell death in peripheral organs, has been detected at increased levels in brain degenerative states. In this paper we have investigated the regional and cellular expression of this protein during development of brain lesion. With this aim sulphated glycoprotein-2 mRNA levels were studied in models of ischemic (transient forebrain ischemia) or mechanical (partial mesodiencephalic hemitransection) brain injuries using in situ hybridization histochemistry. Marked increases in sulphated glycoprotein-2 mRNA were observed in lesioned brains in both models. In addition, we report a shift in the regional distribution of positive cells in both lesion models 1-7 days post-lesion. After transient forebrain ischemia, sulphated glycoprotein-2 mRNA increases were always localized in selectively vulnerable regions (caudate-putamen, hippocampal formation), showing a temporal change in the pattern of intraregional distribution from less to more lesioned parts. In the case of mechanical lesion at 1 day, increased labelling had a widespread distribution on the lesioned side and was also observed on the intact side near the midline. In contrast, at 7 days increased labelling was restricted to regions directly lesioned (either areas whose input and/or output connections were severed by the transection or areas which were directly affected by the mechanical lesion). Analysis at the cellular level revealed that at both time intervals and in both lesion models most cell bodies overlain by dense clusters of specific grains were non-neuronal cells. The distribution patterns and their change over time suggest that at least some of these cells are inflammatory and phagocytic cells. The majority of degenerating neuronal cells after ischemia did not show increased levels of sulphated glycoprotein-2 mRNA. However, seven days after hemitransection and at all time intervals after transient ischemia, some cells clearly identifiable as neurones exhibited increased sulphated glycoprotein-2 mRNA levels.