Up-regulation of reactivity and survival genes in astrocytes after exposure to short duration overpressure

Gurdjian et al. proposed decades ago that pressure gradients played a major factor in neuronal injury due to impact. In the late 1950s, their experiments on concussion demonstrated that the principal factor in the production of concussion in animals was the sudden increase of intracranial pressure accompanying head injury. They reported the increase in pressure severity correlated with an increase in ‘altered cells’ resulting in animal death. More recently, Hardy et al. (2006) demonstrated the presence of transient pressure pulses with impact conditions. These studies indicate that short duration overpressure should be further examined as a mechanism of traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the present study, we designed and fabricated a barochamber that simulated overpressure noted in various head injury studies. We tested the effect of overpressure on astrocytes. Expressions of apoptotic, reactivity and survival genes were examined at 24, 48 and 72 h post-overpressure exposure. At 24 h, we found elevated levels of reactivity and survival gene expression. By 48 h, a decreased expression of apoptotic genes was demonstrated. This study reinforces the hypothesis that transient pressure acts to instigate the cellular response displayed following TBI.