Neuronal, but not microglial, accumulation of extravasated serum proteins after intracerebral hemolysate exposure is accompanied by cytochrome c release and DNA fragmentation

Vasogenic edema after oxidative injury has been accompanied by intracellular accumulation of serum proteins and nuclear damage. This study sought to determine whether serum protein accumulation, along with other markers of brain injury, was present after exposure to intracerebral hemolysate, an oxidant model of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Saline (n = 24) or hemolysate (n = 30) was injected into the caudate-putamen of adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Compared with saline, hemolysate deposition was associated with intracellular accumulation of serum proteins as evidenced by Evans blue uptake in neurons and microglia at 4 and 24 hours. Intracellular Evans blue colocalized with DNA fragmentation detected by nick end-labeling and whose presence was confirmed by gel electrophoresis. Immunoblots of cytosolic fractions confirmed cytochrome c release. Immunostaining established colocalization of cytosolic cytochrome c and intracellular Evans blue at 4 hours. At 24 hours, cytosolic cytochrome c was evident in astrocytes surrounding Evans blue-positive cells. Immunoblot analysis and immunostaining revealed HSP70 induction at 24 hours in regions adjacent to intracellular serum accumulation. Neuronal accumulation of extravasated serum proteins in this model of ICH was associated with cytochrome c release, DNA fragmentation, and cell death. Stress protein induction in adjacent regions suggested that vasogenic edema might have exacerbated cellular dysfunction and cell death after ICH.