Alterations in Rat Brain Proteins after Desflurane Anesthesia
Background Volatile anesthetics disappear from an organism after the end of anesthesia. Whether changes of protein expression persist in the brain for a longer period is not known. This study investigates the question of whether the expression of proteins is altered in the rat brain after the end of desflurane anesthesia. Methods Three groups (n = 12 each) of rats were anesthetized with 5.7% desflurane in air for 3 h. Brains were removed directly after anesthesia, 24 h after anesthesia, or 72 h after anesthesia. Two additional groups (n = 12 each) served as naive conscious controls, in which the brains were removed without previous anesthesia 3 or 72 h after the start of the experiment. Cytosolic proteins were isolated. A proteome-wide study was performed, based on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Results Compared with conscious controls, significant (P < 0.05) increase/decrease was found: 3 h of anesthesia, 5/2 proteins; 24 h after anesthesia, 13/1 proteins; 72 h after anesthesia, 6/4 proteins. The overall changes in protein expression as quantified by the induction factor ranged from -1.67 (decrease to 60%) to 1.79 (increase by 79%) compared with the controls (100%). Some of these regulated proteins play a role in vesicle transport and metabolism. Conclusion Desflurane anesthesia produces changes in cytosolic protein expression up to 72 h after anesthesia in the rat brain, indicating yet unknown persisting effects.