Effect of the mitochondrial antioxidant, Mito Vitamin E, on hypoxic–ischemic striatal injury in neonatal rats: A dose–response and stereological study

A mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, Mito Vitamin E (MitoVit E), has previously been shown to prevent mitochondrial oxidative damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of MitoVit E on neuronal survival in the rat striatum after acute perinatal hypoxia–ischemia. Continuous striatal infusion with 4.35 μM, 43.5 μM, or 148 μM of MitoVit E before, during, and after hypoxia–ischemia was not neuroprotective for striatal medium-spiny neurons. Pre- or posttreatment with 435 μM MitoVit E was neurotoxic. These results suggest that MitoVit E is not significantly neuroprotective for striatal medium-spiny neurons after acute perinatal hypoxic–ischemic brain injury. The results also suggest that mitochondrial oxidative damage does not contribute significantly to the death of striatal medium-spiny neurons after perinatal hypoxia–ischemia.