Abstract
Objective: Pontosubicular neuron necrosis (PSN) represents an age-specific response to severe hypoxic-ischemic injury (HII) occurring in human neonates but not in older children or adults. Histologically, PSN is characterised by acute neuronal death in the pontine nuclei and the hippocampal subiculum bearing the hallmarks of apoptosis. The expression of Rbm3, a glycine-rich RNA-binding protein, is enhanced under hypoxic conditions and independent of HIF (hypoxia inducible factor). It is well known, that proteins which are dependant on HIF, e.g. Erythropoetin play an important role in HII. This study aims to determine whether the HIF-independent activation of Rbm3 is also a significant factor in the pathogenesis of PSN. Methods: We have investigated the expression of Rbm3 in human autopsy material consisting of 12 PSN cases and 10 age-matched controls without PSN. Immunohistochemistry and double labeling for Rbm3 and the astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), the microglia/macrophage specific marker KiM1P and the neuronal marker NeuN was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain specimens.
Results: In PSN cases and controls, mainly neuronal cells expressed Rbm3. The number of immunopositive cells was significantly increased (p=0.001) in PSN cases. Predominantly degenerating cells with signs of later apoptotic stages showed Rbm3 expression. In earlier stages of apoptosis immunopositivity for Rbm3 was increased compared to contols, but less prominent.
Conclusion: In addition to HIF-dependant proteins, the induction of the HIF-independent protein RMB3 is observed in response to human hypoxic-ischemic injury.
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Moysich, A., Wellmann, S., Stadelmann, C. et al. 259 RBM3 Expression in Neonates with Pontosubicular Neuron Necrosis. Pediatr Res 58, 399 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200508000-00288
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-200508000-00288