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BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial damage plays a key role in neuronal damage.OBJECTIVE: To observe ultrastructural damage to mitochondria and nuclei, as well as caspase-3 expression, in hippocampal CA3 neurons of lithium-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus rats.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The neuropathological, randomized, controlled study was performed at the Animal Experimental Center, Shandong University, China in May 2008.MATERIALS: A total of 75 healthy, adult, male, Wistar rats were randomly assigned into model (n = 45) and control (n = 30) groups. Lithium-pilocarpine (Sigma, USA) was used in this study.METHODS: Rats in the model group were intraperitoneally injected with lithium chloride (3 mEq/kg),and 24 hours later with pilocarpine (45 mg/kg), to induce seizures for 2 hours. Rats in the control group were intraperitoneally infused with the same volume of saline. Rat hippocampal CA3 tissue was obtained at 3, 12, and 24 hours following status epilepticus.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neuronal changes were observed under an optical microscope. Ultrastructural changes in mitochondria and nuclei were observed using an electron microscope.caspase-3 mRNA levels were quantified by semiquantitative RT-PCR.RESULTS: After 3 hours of status epilepticus, mitochondria with swollen cristae and ruptured membranes were observed by electron microscopy. Nuclei with marginated chromatin were observed after 24 hours status epilepticus. RT-PCR results demonstrated increased caspase-3 expression at 12 hours, and significantly increased expression at 24 hours following termination of status epilepticus. This was in accordance with acidophilia occurrence, as indicated by hematoxylin-eosin staining, and time of ultrastructural damage to nuclei.CONCLUSION: In lithium-pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus rat models, ultrastructural damage to mitochondria in hippocampal neurons occurred during early stages, followed by increased caspase-3 expression and nuclear changes. These results suggested that mitochondrial damage plays a key role in neuronal damage following status epilepticus.