Magnesium Sulfate Treatment Decreases the Initial Brain Damage Alterations Produced After Perinatal Asphyxia in Fetal Lambs

The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of MgSO ₄ treatment in the brain after hypoxic–ischemic (HI) injury in premature fetal lambs. Injury was induced by partial occlusion of umbilical cord for 60 min, and then the preterm lambs (80–90% of gestation) were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: control group, in which the animals were managed by conventional mechanical ventilation for 3 hr; 3 hr postpartial cord occlusion (3-hr-PCO) group, in which injured animals were managed by ventilation and then sacrificed 3 hr after HI; and MgSO ₄ group, in which animals received 400 mg/kg MgSO ₄ for 20 min soon after HI was induced and were managed by ventilation for 3 hr. Brains were analyzed for apoptosis by TUNEL assay. Cell viability and intracellular state studies were assessed by flow cytometry. The delayed death index was significantly increased in the 3-hr-PCO group in comparison with control. Administration of MgSO ₄ elicited a delay in cell death that was similar to that in the control group. The 3-hr-PCO group showed a significantly higher concentration of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial damage, and intracellular calcium in comparison with control and MgSO ₄ - treated groups. Our results suggest that MgSO ₄ treatment might have potential therapeutic benefits after the HI event. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.