Prophylactic Effect of Minocycline on Prevention of Preterm Brain Injury-Rat Model

Abstract

Introduction: Preterm birth significantly risks brain development, leading to long-term neurological deficits such as cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. Current treatments for preterm brain injury are limited, necessitating new strategies. Minocycline, a second-generation tetracycline antibiotic, shows promise in adult neurological models for its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. This study investigates minocycline's prophylactic effects on preventing preterm brain injury using Wistar rat models, aiming to inform new clinical approaches for managing preterm brain injury in neonates.

Materials and Methods:After approval, pups were split into three groups: test, negative control, and positive control. On days 2, 4, and 6, rat pups received intraperitoneal injections of LPS (15 mg/kg) to induce preterm brain injury. The positive control group received normal saline, while the test group received minocycline (45 mg/kg) four hours before each LPS injection. Neurodevelopmental reflexes were performed for anomalies. Pups were euthanized at Postnatal day 15 for histopathology and immunohistology brain analysis.

Results: : The results suggest that minocycline treatment may improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm rats, as indicated by quicker performance in various developmental tests compared to control groups. Histopathology reveals a decrease in ventricular dilatation compared to the negative group, implying that minocycline acts as a protective agent against preterm brain injury and effectively mitigates brain damage.