Relationship between expression of Occludin and blood-brain barrier permeability changes in acute liver failure mice

【Objective】To investigate the relationship between the expression of tight junction(TJ)-associated protein Occludin in the brain tissue and the permeability of the blood-brain barrier(BBB) during acetaminophen(APAP)-induced acute liver failure(ALF).【Methods】Male Balb/c mice received acetaminophen to induce ALF.We investigated the blood-brain-barrier(BBB) permeability by Evans blue staining,and the TJ structure by electron microscopy.The expression of Occludin in the brain tissue was determined by western blot.【Results】The concentration of EB in the brain tissue began to increase 2 hours(2.29±0.42 μg/g) after injection and the peak level appeared at 6 hours(3.61±0.33 μg/g).The Occludin expression in brain tissue was decreased 2 hours after injection and reached minimum at 6 hours.It can be investigated by electron microscopy that the TJ structure was damaged.【Conclusions】In APAP-induced ALF,the BBB permeability was increased,indicate the vasogenic edema mechanism is correlated with the brain edema,on the contrary the Occludin expression was decreased,suggesting that the brain edema is correlated with TJ disruption caused by the decrease of Occludin expression.