Abstract：Objective The changes of nuclear factor-kappaB(NF-κB) activity in brain tissue of rats with infection brain edema were observed, and the effects of heat shock response (HSR) on the brain injury in this model were also evaluate. Methods Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: injection with pertussis bacilli (PB) suspension via the left internal carotid artery (PB), PB plus HSR pretreatment (HSR), and injection of normal saline instead of PB as normal control(NS). Water content(WC), sodium (Na +) and potassium (K +) concentrations in the brain tissue were measured. NF-κB complexes activity was detected using electrophoretic mobility shift assay(EMSA) in nuclear extracts of neurocytes. Results WC and Na + were significantly lower in HSR than in PB (P<0.01), while K + was higher in HSR than in PB (P<0.01) except at 24 hour. NF-κB was activated at 2,4,8 hours with a peak activity seen at 24 hour in NS. PB injection raised NF-κB activity, but the increase was markedly attenuated with HSR pretreatment. Conclusions The results suggest that HSR have some protective effects against PB-induced brain edema and that the protection seemed to be related to inhibiting augmentation of NK-κB activity.
