ABSTRACT PURPOSE: To evaluated histopathological changes, morphometric and expression of proteins CASPASE-3, BCL-2 and XIAP related to apoptosis in the cerebellum after induction of temporary focal cerebral ischemia followed by reperfusion, with or without a model of chronic alcoholism. METHODS: Fifty Wistar rats were used and divided into: control group (C), sham group (S), ischemic group (I), alcoholic group (A), and ischemic and alcoholic group (IA). The cerebellum samples collected were stained for histopathological and morphometric analysis and immunohistochemistry study. RESULTS: Histopathological changes were observed a greater degree in animals in groups A and IA. The morphometric study showed no difference in the amount of cells in the granular layer of the cerebellum between the groups. The expression of CASPASE-3 was higher than BCL-2 and XIAP in the groups A and IA. CONCLUSION: We observed correlation between histopathological changes and the occurrence of apoptosis in cerebellar cortex.

O prognóstico desfavorável dos gliomas malignos também pode ser explicado pelo pouco conhecimento dos seus mecanismos moleculares. Estudos relacionados à regulação do processo de apoptose em glioblastoma (GBM), o glioma maligno mais comum, são poucos, e o melhor conhecimento da expressão de proteínas pró e anti-apoptóticas poderia colaborar com o desenvolvimento de novos tratamentos fundamentados sobre a base molecular. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar por imunohistoquímica, a expressão de caspase-3 e Bcl-2 em 30 amostras de GBM. A expressão de caspase-3 (média de 17,67%) foi menor que a de Bcl-2 (média de 30,92%), com resultado estatisticamente significante (p<0.0001), sugerindo menor atividade apoptótica nestes tumores. Outros estudos envolvendo proteínas relacionadas à via extrínseca e intrínseca da apoptose são necessários para fornecer informações complementares deste mecanismo em GBMs.

The unfavorable prognosis of malignant gliomas can also be explained by the incomplete knowledge of their molecular pathways. Studies regarding the regulatory process of apoptosis in glioblastoma (GBM), the most common malignant glioma, are few, and better knowledge of the expression of pro and anti-apoptotic proteins could collaborate with the development of new treatments founded on molecular basis. The objective of this study was to evaluate by immunohistochemistry the expression of caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in 30 samples of GBMs. The expression of caspase-3 (mean 17.67%) was lower than Bcl-2 (mean 30.92%), a statistically significant result (p<0.0001), suggesting low apoptotic activity in these tumors. Other studies of proteins related to the intrinsic and extrinsic pathway of apoptosis are required to provide additional information of this mechanism in GBMs.