Immunohistochemical detection of the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal after experimental brain injury in the rat

This study examined the accumulation of the cytotoxic lipid peroxidation pr oduct 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) after lateral fluid percussion (FP) brain inju ry in rats. A diffuse distribution of HNE-immunoreactivity (HNE-ir) was obs erved in the cortex and hippocampus of the ipsilateral, but not of the cont ralateral, hemisphere at 30 min, 6 h, 24 h, and 48 h after brain injury. Th e HNE-ir was well-localized in cell bodies of the ipsilateral cortex and th e CA3 pyramidal layer in the ipsilateral hippocampus. Because HNE's interac tion with certain proteins causes protein dysfunction and HNE, in vitro, ca uses neuronal cell damage, the present results suggest that HNE's interacti on with neuronal proteins may contribute to neuronal damage in the ipsilate ral cortex and hippocampus after brain injury. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ir eland Ltd. All rights reserved.