血管内一氧化氮合酶基因转染预防脑血管痉挛的实验研究

目的采用血管内基因转染的方法,将重组内皮型一氧化氮合酶(eNOS)基因转染入蛛网膜下腔出血(SAH)后迟发性脑血管痉挛大鼠脑动脉,探讨防治SAH后迟发性脑血管痉挛的新方法。方法首先构建携带eNOS基因的重组腺病毒。采用小脑延髓池二次注血法建立大鼠SAH后迟发性脑血管痉挛模型。通过颈动脉微泵持续滴注方法进行基因转染,并设置对照组。结果第7天采用免疫组化证实重组eNOS基因表达,重组eNOS主要表达于内皮层。第7天显微镜下测定血管内eNOS转染组脑动脉环平均直径较单纯SAH组增大,电镜观察血管痉挛较单纯SAH组减轻。结论通过本研究证实采用颈动脉微泵持续滴注方法可在大鼠脑动脉表达重组eNOS,重组基因主要表达于动脉内皮细胞,可达到缓解SAH后迟发性脑血管痉挛的目的。     

Genetic elimination of eNOS reduces secondary complications of experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage

Delayed complications of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) such as angiographic vasospasm, cortical spreading ischemia, microcirculatory dysfunction, and microthrombosis are reported in both patients and animal models of SAH. We demonstrated previously that SAH is associated with increased oxidative stress in the brain parenchyma, and that this correlates with dysfunction of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) (homodimeric uncoupling). Uncoupling of eNOS exacerbated oxidative stress and enhanced nitric oxide (NO) depletion, and was associated with multiple secondary complications such as microthrombosis, neuronal apoptosis, and release of reactive oxygen species. Thus, we hypothesized that genetic abbrogation of eNOS would confer a beneficial effect on the brain after SAH. Using a prechiasmatic injection model of SAH, we show here that eNOS knockout (KO) significantly alleviates vasospasm of the middle cerebral artery and reduces superoxide production. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase KO also affected other nitric oxide synthase isoforms. It significantly increases neuron nitric oxide synthase expression but has no effect on inducible nitric oxide synthase. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase KO decreases Zn²⁺ release after SAH, reduces microthrombi formation, and prevent neuronal degeneration. This work is consistent with our findings where, after SAH, increased oxidative stress can uncouple eNOS via Zn²⁺ thiolate oxidation, or theoretically by depletion or oxidation of tetrahydrobiopterin, resulting in a paradoxical release of superoxide anion radical, further exacerbating oxidative stress and microvascular damage.     

盐酸法舒地尔对蛛网膜下腔出血后血管痉挛的实验研究

目的通过建立大鼠蛛网膜下腔出血（SAH）模型,探讨盐酸法舒地尔对蛛网膜下腔出血后血管痉挛的缓解作用和神经保护作用,并与尼莫地平对比,观察疗效。方法通过枕大池二次注血法建立大鼠SAH模型,观察基底动脉和海马神经元形态变化,测量基底动脉管径和管壁厚度,计算海马CA1区神经元密度,检测基底动脉内皮型一氧化氮合成酶（eNOS）的表达。结果各组模型大鼠的基底动脉均出现血管痉挛,海马CA1区正常神经元数目明显减少,多数神经元发生变性,基底动脉的eNOS表达明显减弱。但注射法舒地尔组与其他模型组相比能较大程度的缓解以上变化,具有统计学差异（P〈0.05）,且优于尼莫地平。结论法舒地尔可以有效缓解SAH后的迟发性脑血管痉挛,具有神经保护作用,其缓解迟发性脑血管痉挛作用和神经保护作用与动脉壁产生的一氧化氮（NO）有关。     

Dysfunction of nitric oxide synthases as a cause and therapeutic target in delayed cerebral vasospasm after SAH

Nitric oxide (NO), also known as endothelium-derived relaxing factor, is produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in the intima and by neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the adventitia of cerebral vessels. It dilates the arteries in response to shear stress, metabolic demands, pterygopalatine ganglion stimulation and chemoregulation. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) interrupts this regulation of cerebral blood flow. Hemoglobin, gradually released from erythrocytes in the subarachnoid space, destroys nNOS-containing neurons in the conductive arteries. This deprives the arteries of NO, leading to initiation of delayed vasospasm. But such vessel narrowing increases shear stress, which stimulates eNOS. This mechanism normally would lead to increased production of NO and dilation of arteries. However, a transient eNOS dysfunction evoked by an increase in the endogenous competitive NOS inhibitor, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), prevents this vasodilation. eNOS dysfunction has been recently shown to be evoked by increased levels of ADMA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in response to the presence of bilirubin-oxidized fragments (BOXes). A direct cause of the increased ADMA CSF level is most likely decreased ADMA elimination owing to disappearance of ADMA-hydrolyzing enzyme [dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase II (DDAH II)] immunoreactivity in the arteries in spasm. This eNOS dysfunction sustains vasospasm. CSF ADMA levels are closely associated with the degree and time course of vasospasm; when CSF ADMA levels decrease, vasospasm resolves. Thus, exogenous delivery of NO, inhibiting the L-arginine-methylating enzyme or stimulating DDAH II, may provide new therapeutic modalities to prevent and treat vasospasm. This paper will present results of pre-clinical studies supporting the NO-based hypothesis of delayed cerebral vasospasm development and its prevention by increased NO availability.     

动脉瘤性蛛网膜下腔出血患者脑脊液中一氧化氮浓度的动态变化

目的探讨蛛网膜下腔出血后脑脊液中一氧化氮浓度的动态变化及其与脑血管痉挛的关系。方法采集57例动脉瘤性蛛网膜下腔出血(aSAH)患者脑脊液标本(采集时间为入院后即刻,出血后第3、5、7、10、14天),采用镉粒还原法检测脑脊液中NO浓度。结果出血后第3天脑脊液中NO浓度即有明显降低(P<0.05),在出血后第7～10天达到最低(P<0.01),而后逐渐升高。症状性脑血管痉挛患者NO浓度明显低于未痉挛者及无症状的脑血管痉挛患者。结论症状性脑血管痉挛的发生与脑脊液中NO浓度降低有一定相关性。     

Simvastatin attenuation of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats via increased phosphorylation of Akt and endothelial nitric oxide synthase

The mechanisms involved in simvastatin-mediated attenuation of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are unclear. We investigated the role of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt (PI3K/Akt) pathway and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in the cerebral vasculature in statin-mediated attenuation of cerebral vasospasm using wortmannin, an irreversible pharmacological PI3K inhibitor, and a rat SAH endovascular perforation model. Simvastatin was administered intraperitoneally in two dosages (1 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg) at 0.5, 24, and 48 hr after SAH and histological parameters of ipsilateral intracranial carotid artery (ICA) were assessed at 24 and 72 hr. SAH significantly decreased ICA diameter and perimeter while increasing wall thickness at both 24 and 72 hr. High-dosage simvastatin prevented the reduction of ICA diameter and perimeter following SAH, whereas both high and low dosages reduced wall thickness significantly at 24 and 72 hr. The effects of simvastatin were significantly reversed by wortmannin. High-dosage simvastatin increased pAkt and peNOS (phosphorylated forms) levels without increasing Akt and eNOS expression compared with the SAH group and also improved neurological deficits at 24 and 72 hr. Simvastatin did not affect protein levels by itself compared with untreated sham group. The present study elucidates the critical role of the PI3K activation leading to phosphorylation of Akt and eNOS in simvastatin-mediated attenuation of cerebral vasospasm after SAH.     

17β-雌二醇对蛛网膜下腔出血脑血管痉挛的疗效与其可能机制

性别的差异是否影响颅内动脉瘤破裂所引发蛛网膜下腔出血后的预后,仍未有定论,雌性素对于血管扩张的可能作用也尚未确定。本研究评估17β-雌二醇（estradiol,E2）在大鼠两次出血的蛛网膜下腔出血动物模型中,对于蛛网膜下腔出血引发的脑血管痉挛的治疗效果与可能机制。方法 以0.3 mg/ml E2混合玉米油填充于30 mm长的硅胶管（Silastic tube）,于雄性大鼠引发蛛网膜下腔出血后1 h,包埋于动物皮下。测量包埋的第0、1、2、3、4及7天大鼠血中E2浓度。脑血管痉挛的程度以第一次出血后7天的基底动脉横切面平均面积来评估。同时检查基底动脉内皮型一氧化氮合酶（endothelial nitric oxide synthase,eNOS）及诱导型一氧化氮合酶（Inducible nitric oxide synthase,iNOS）的表现。结果 以E2治疗大鼠的血中浓度维持在生理浓度（56～92 pg/ml）,与给予赋形药物的溶剂对照组相比较,研究组E2浓度的增加有统计学上的意义。E2治疗能有意义的减少蛛网膜下腔出血引发的脑血管痉挛（P <0.01）。E2治疗能有意义的减少脑血管痉挛后基底动脉iNOS-mRNA及蛋白质的表达增加,而对照组无此作用。脑血管痉挛后eNOS-mRNA及蛋白质的表达受压抑,但可经E2治疗而减缓。结论 建议持续性给予E2,维持其于生理浓度,可防止蛛网膜下腔出血后的脑血管痉挛,E2防止蛛网膜下腔出血后脑血管痉挛的效益,部分与E2可防止蛛网膜下腔出血后iNOS的表达及保留eNOS的表达有关。因此,E2对于治疗蛛网膜下腔出血后的脑血管痉挛是一种值得进一步探讨的方法。     

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphisms predict susceptibility to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral vasospasm.

Rupture of an intracranial aneurysm (subarachnoid hemorrhage) is a potentially devastating condition frequently complicated by delayed cerebral ischemia from sustained contraction of intracranial arteries (cerebral vasospasm). There is mounting evidence linking the formation of intracranial aneurysms and the pathogenesis of post-subarachnoid hemorrhage vasospasm to aberrant bioavailability and action of the vasodilator molecule nitric oxide generated by isoforms of nitric oxide synthase. In humans, the gene encoding the endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is known to be polymorphic, with certain polymorphisms associated with increased cardiovascular disease susceptibility. In this prospective clinical study involving 141 participants, we used gene microarray technology to demonstrate that the eNOS gene intron-4 27-base pair variable number tandem repeat polymorphism (eNOS 27 VNTR) predicts susceptibility to intracranial aneurysm rupture, while the eNOS gene promoter T-786C single nucleotide polymorphism (eNOS T-786C SNP) predicts susceptibility to post-subarachnoid hemorrhage vasospasm. We believe that genetic information such as this, which can be obtained expeditiously at the time of diagnosis, may be used as a helpful adjunct to other clinical information aimed at predicting and favorably modifying the clinical course of persons with intracranial aneurysms.     

Role of endothelial nitric oxide synthase for early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage in mice

The first few hours and days after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are characterized by cerebral ischemia, spasms of pial arterioles, and a significant reduction of cerebral microperfusion, however, the mechanisms of this early microcirculatory dysfunction are still unknown. Endothelial nitric oxide production is reduced after SAH and exogenous application of NO reduces post-hemorrhagic microvasospasm. Therefore, we hypothesize that the endothelial NO-synthase (eNOS) may be involved in the formation of microvasospasms, microcirculatory dysfunction, and unfavorable outcome after SAH. SAH was induced in male eNOS deficient (eNOS^–/–) mice by endovascular MCA perforation. Three hours later, the cerebral microcirculation was visualized using in vivo 2-photon-microscopy. eNOS^–/– mice had more severe SAHs, more severe ischemia, three time more rebleedings, and a massively increased mortality (50 vs. 0%) as compared to wild type (WT) littermate controls. Three hours after SAH eNOS^–/– mice had fewer perfused microvessels and 40% more microvasospasms than WT mice. The current study indicates that a proper function of eNOS plays a key role for a favorable outcome after SAH and helps to explain why patients suffering from hypertension or other conditions associated with impaired eNOS function, have a higher risk of unfavorable outcome after SAH.     

促红细胞生成素对大鼠蛛网膜下腔出血后血管痉挛的防治作用

目的 探讨促红细胞生成素（EPO）对大鼠蛛网膜下腔出血（SAH）后脑血管痉挛（CVS）的影响及其机制。方法 将60只成年SD大鼠随机分为正常组（6只）、假手术组（18只）、SAH组（18只）、EPO组（18只）;假手术组、SAH组合EPO组根据取材时间有分为1、3、7 d三亚组,每亚组6只。采用枕大池二次注血法建立SAH模型。EPO组建模成功后30 min内腹腔注射EPO（3 000 IU/kg,1次/d）。建模成功后1、3、7 d采用取材基底动脉行HE染色测量基底动脉管径及管壁厚度,采用免疫组化检测基底动脉血管壁核转录因子-κB（NF-κB）及内皮细胞型一氧化碳合酶（eNOS）的表达。结果 SAH后1、3、7 d,假手术组基底动脉管径、管壁厚度、NF-κB和eNOS表达水平与正常组无统计学差异（P>0.05）;与假手术组相比,SAH组各时间点基底动脉管径均明显减小（P<0.05）,管壁厚度均明显增加（P<0.05）,NF-κB表达水平均明显增加（P<0.05）,eNOS表达水平均明显降低（P<0.05）;与SAH组相比,EPO组基底动脉管径、管壁厚度均明显改善（P<0.05）,NF-κB表达水平均明显降低（P<0.05）,eNOS表达水平均明显增加。结论 EPO能够显著改善大鼠SAH后CVS,机制可能是通过上调eNOS的表达、抑制NF-κB的表达来实现的。     

Protein therapy using heme-oxygenase-1 fused to a polyarginine transduction domain attenuates cerebral vasospasm after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage

A sequence of 11 consecutive arginine residues (11R) is one of the best protein transduction domains for introducing proteins into cell membranes. Heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is involved in heme catabolism and reduces the contractile effect of hemoglobin after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Therefore, we constructed 11R-fused HO-1 protein to achieve successful transduction of the protein into the cerebral arteries and examined the therapeutic effect of the 11R-HO-1 protein for cerebral vasospasm (CV) after SAH. We injected the 11R-HO-1 protein into the cisterna magna of male rats and, several hours after the injection, performed immunofluorescence staining and western blotting analysis of the rat basilar arteries (BAs) to determine transduction efficacy. We also assessed intraarterial HO-1 activity as cGMP (cyclic guanosine 3′, 5′-cyclic monophosphate) accumulation in SAH and determined whether protein transduction of 11R-HO-1 quantified the therapeutic effect in a rat double-hemorrhage model of SAH. The BAs expressed significantly more HO-1 in the group injected with 11R-HO-1 (3.56±0.54 (11R-HO-1) versus control (saline)), and transduction of 11R-HO-1 resulted in higher activity (>3.25-fold) in rat BAs with SAH. Moreover, the results of the rat double-hemorrhage model showed that the 11R-HO-1 protein significantly attenuated CV after SAH (317.59±23.48 μm (11R-HO-1) versus 270.08±14.66 μm (11R-fused enhanced green fluorescent protein), 252.05±13.95 μm (saline), P<0.01).     

Scutellarin attenuates vasospasm through the Erk5-KLF2-eNOS pathway after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats

Angiographic vasospasm, especially in the early phases (<72 h) of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), is one of the major complications after an aneurysm rupture and is often the cause of delayed neurological deterioration. Scutellarin (SCU), a flavonoid extracted from the traditional Chinese herb Erigeron breviscapus, has been widely accepted as an antioxidant, but the effect of SCU on vasospasm after SAH remains elusive. Endovascular perforation was conducted to induce SAH in Sprague–Dawley rats. Then, the underlying mechanism of the anti-vasospasm effect of SCU was investigated using a modified Garcia scale, India ink angiography, cross-sectional area analysis, immunohistochemistry staining and western blot. SCU (50 μM, 100 mg/kg) alleviated angiographic vasospasm and improved neurological function 48 h after SAH and enhanced the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) at the intima of cerebral arteries. In addition, SCU upregulated the expression of phosphorylated extracellular-regulated kinase 5 (p-Erk5) and Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) at 48 h after SAH. However, the effects of SCU were reversed by the Erk5 inhibitor XMD8-92. Our results indicate that SCU could attenuate vasospasm and neurological deficits via modulating the Erk5-KLF2-eNOS pathway after SAH, which may provide an experimental basis for the clinical use of SCU treatment in SAH patients.     

蛛网膜下腔出血后迟发性脑血管痉挛的发病机制和治疗进展

脑血管痉挛（cerebral vasospasm,CVS）是蛛网膜下腔出血（subarochnoid hemorrhage,SAH）最 严重的并发症,尤其是迟发性脑血管痉挛（delayed cerebral vasospasm,DCV）,一旦发生可能会出现 脑缺血甚至死亡等严重并发症。目前其发病机制尚不明确,多种因素如红细胞分解产物、一氧化氮 （nitric oxide,NO）、内皮素、自由基和脂质过氧化物等均是导致DCV的重要因素,而对于治疗DCV的方 法也在持续探索中,SAH后DCV仍是目前面临的一大难题。本文主要对SAH后CVS的发病机制及治疗进 展进行综述。     

Acute decrease in cerebral nitric oxide levels after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Disturbances in the nitric oxide (NO) vasodilatory pathway have been implicated in acute vasoconstriction and ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The authors hypothesize that blood released during SAH leads to vasoconstriction by scavenging NO and limiting its availability. This was tested by measuring the major NO metabolites nitrite and nitrate in five different brain regions before and after experimental SAH. The basal NO metabolites levels were as follows (mean +/- SD, micromol/mg wet weight): brain stem, 0.14 +/- 0.07; cerebellum, 0.12 +/- 0.08; ventral convexity cortex, 0.22 +/- 0.15; dorsal convexity cortex, 0.16 +/- 0.11; and hippocampus, 0.26 +/- 0.17. In sham-operated animals, no effect of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor L(G)-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester (30 mg/kg) was found on NO metabolites 40 minutes after administration, but a significant decrease was seen after 120 minutes. The NO metabolites decreased significantly 10 minutes after SAH in all brain regions except for hippocampus, and recovered to control levels in cerebellum at 60 minutes and in brain stem and dorsal cerebral cortex 180 minutes after SAH, while remaining low in ventral convexity cortex. Nitrite recovered completely in all brain regions at 180 minutes after SAH, whereas nitrate remained decreased in brain stem and ventral convexity cortex. Our results indicate that SAH causes acute decreases in cerebral NO levels by a mechanism other than NOS inhibition and provide further support for the hypothesis that alterations in the NO vasodilatory pathway contribute directly to the ischemic insult after SAH.     

17β-雌二醇对大鼠蛛网膜下腔出血后脑血管痉挛的影响及其机制

目的探讨17β-雌二醇（E₂）对蛛网膜下腔出血（SAH）引发的脑血管痉挛（CVS）的影响及其机制。方法雄性Wistar大鼠70只按随机数字表分为SAH组、SAH+E₂组、SAH+安慰剂组、空白组。采用枕大池二次注血法制作SAH模型。CVS的程度以第一次注血后7d的基底动脉平均横截面积评估。酶联免疫吸附法检测血清内皮型一氧化氮合酶（eNOS）及诱导型一氧化氮合酶（iNOS）水平。原位细胞凋亡检测法检测颞叶神经元凋亡情况。结果与SAH组及SAH+安慰剂组相比,SAH+E₂组大鼠基底动脉横截面积明显增加,血清iNOS浓度明显降低,eNOS浓度明显升高,皮质神经元凋亡指数显著降低（P<0.01）。结论 E₂可有效缓解大鼠SAH后的CVS,并具有脑保护作用,其机制可能与E₂维持SAH后血管内皮功能的稳定有关。     

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) attenuates cerebral vasospasm after experimental subarachnoidal haemorrhage by increasing brain nitric oxide levels

BACKGROUND: Cerebral vasospasm, a medical complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, even after the aneurysm has been secured surgically or endovascularly. Evidence accumulated during the last decade suggest that scavenging a vasodilator, nitric oxide (NO), by superoxide anions (O(2)(-)), and activating a strong vasoconstructor, protein kinase C (PKC), are the two most important mechanisms in the pathogenesis of vasospasm. Our aim in this study was to determine whether caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a non-toxic oxygen free radical scavenger, prevents vasospasm in an experimental rat model of SAH. METHODS: Twenty eight rats (225-250 g) were divided into four groups equally: group 1, control group; group 2, SAH group; group 3, SAH plus placebo group; and group 4, SAH plus CAPE group. We used double haemorrhage method for SAH groups. Starting 6h after SAH, 10 micromol/kg CAPE or an equal volume of 0.9% saline were administered by intraperitoneal injection twice daily for 5 days to SAH plus CAPE and SAH plus placebo groups, respectively. CAPE or 0.9% saline injections were continued up to 5th day after SAH. Rats were sacrificed on the 5th day. Brain sections at the level of the pons were examined by light microscopy. Measurements were made for the cross-sectional areas of the lumen and the vessel wall (intimae plus media) of basilar artery by a micrometer. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and nitric oxide (NO) were measured in rat brain tissue. RESULTS: Administration of CAPE significantly attenuated the vasoconstriction of the basilar artery. There were marked narrowing in the lumens of and thickening in the walls of basilar arteries in the SAH, and the SAH plus placebo compared with CAPE group (p < 0.001). We also observed that CAPE administration significantly decreased the tissue level of MDA, while significantly increased the tissue levels of GSH, NO in the SAH plus CAPE group compared to only SAH group, p < 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that CAPE is effective in attenuating delayed cerebral vasoconstriction following experimental SAH. Our findings also suggest that the elevation of lipid peroxidation and reduction of NO bioavailability, resulting from the generation and the interaction of free radicals, have a significant role in the pathogenesis of vasospasm after SAH.