Neuroprotective Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Neonatal Rats with Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury

Abstract Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remains a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, and there remains an urgent need for effective therapeutic strategies. This study investigated the neuroprotective effectiveness and long-term benefits of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Ten-day-old Wistar albino rats were randomized into three groups: PRP (n = 12), HIE (n = 12), and sham (n = 12). With the exception of the Sham group, all animals were subjected to the HIE model. In the PRP group, 5 microliters of PRP per animal was administered as a single intraventricular dose after HI injury, whereas the HIE and sham groups received physiological saline. Five pups from each group were euthanized 72 hours after induction of the model for early-period assessment; the remaining seven pups underwent cognitive-behavioral testing and late-period histological evaluation at 6 weeks of age. Histological evaluations included TTC, TUNEL and IL-1β staining. PRP therapy reduced the infarct size and the number of TUNEL-positive cells, particularly during the late period (p = 0.01). Furthermore, PRP treatment attenuated neuroinflammation during both the early and late periods, as evidenced by reduced IL-1β staining (p = 0.01). Behavioral tests demonstrated that PRP therapy reduced elevated anxiety-like behaviors in HIE. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that PRP therapy may be a promising therapeutic option for HIE in newborns.