• Jirí Kukacka, David Vajtr, Dalibor Huska, Richard Průsa, Ladislav Houstava, Filip Samal, Václav Diopan, Karel Kotaska, and René Kizek.
• Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Charles University, 2nd Medical School and University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic. jiri.kukacka@lf2.cuni.cz
• Neuroendocrinol Lett. 2006 Dec 1;27 Suppl 2:116-20.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of neuron specific enolase (NSE), protein S100B and time-profile of Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) development with metallothionein (MT) blood levels in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) during 10 days of hospitalization. Patients were divided into 2 groups with respect to NSE and S100B levels - with (group I) and without (group II) GCS improvement.MethodsSerum NSE and S100B concentrations were measured by immunochemical methods; serum metallothionein concentration by electrochemical technique. Cortical biopsies were investigated immunohistochemically and by electron microscope. A cDNA microarray containing 700 gene probes was used to study the changes in gene expression in the ipsilateral cortex.ResultsValues of MT in the blood of group I showed a non-significant decrease compared to group II during 1-3 days after admission. There was an increase of MT during 4-8 days in comparison with values of 1-3 days. The highest value of MT during hospitalization was found in a patient with diffuse axonal injury (group II). The data of cDNA microarray suggested an increase in expression of gene transcripts for oxygen free radical scavenger proteins corresponding with the increase of MT during 4-8 days in both groups.ConclusionsThe experimental data indicate that monitoring the content of MT in patients with trauma brain injury would be a suitable approach to evaluate the degree of injury or duration of prolonging unconsciousness, particularly in diagnosis of diffuse axonal injury.

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