Age-related vulnerability to cerebral ischemia in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We sought to determine the effects of aging on regional cerebral blood flow and ischemic brain damage in transient cerebral ischemia in rats. METHODS: Five adult (5-6 months) and five aged (18-22 months) female spontaneously hypertensive rats were subjected to 20 minutes of bilateral carotid occlusion and 60 minutes of recirculation under amobarbital anesthesia (100 mg/kg i.p.). Regional cerebral blood flow in the hippocampus and striatum was measured using the hydrogen clearance method. Nine adult and 14 aged rats were subjected to 20 minutes of bilateral carotid occlusion or were sham-operated under ether anesthesia. Seven days after 20 minutes of cerebral ischemia, the rats' brains were perfusion fixed. Ischemic damage in the hippocampus and striatum was graded (0 [normal] to 3 [majority of neurons damaged]). RESULTS: After 20 minutes of bilateral carotid occlusion, striatal cerebral blood flow decreased to 9.1 +/- 1.5 and 3.9 +/- 2.0 ml/100 g/min in aged and adult rats, respectively, and hippocampal cerebral blood flow decreased to 8.6 +/- 2.4 and 5.7 +/- 2.4 in aged and adult rats, respectively. Although these ischemic cerebral blood flow values were not significantly different between the two age groups, scores for ischemic damage in the hippocampus CA-1 subfield and striatum were significantly higher in aged than in adult rats (p less than 0.05, Kruskal-Wallis' h test with Bonferroni correction). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that aging may be a primary factor in the development of greater ischemic neuronal damage observed in aged hypertensive rats.     

Atypical microglial response to biodiesel exhaust in healthy and hypertensive rats

Accumulating evidence suggests a deleterious role for urban air pollution in central nervous system (CNS) diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders. Microglia, the resident innate immune cells and sentinels in the brain, are a common source of neuroinflammation and are implicated in air pollution-induced CNS effects. While renewable energy, such as soy-based biofuel, is of increasing public interest, there is little information on how soy biofuel may affect the brain, especially in people with preexisting disease conditions. To address this, male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were exposed to 100% Soy-based Biodiesel Exhaust (100SBDE; 0, 50, 150 and 500 μg/m³) by inhalation, 4 h/day for 4 weeks (5 days/week). Ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule-1 (IBA-1) staining of microglia in the substantia nigra revealed significant changes in morphology with 100SBDE exposure in rats from both genotypes, where SHR were less sensitive. Aconitase activity was inhibited in the frontal cortex and cerebellum of WKY rats exposed to 100SBDE. No consistent changes occurred in pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, nitrated protein, or arginase1 expression in brain regions from either rat strain exposed to 100SBDE. However, while IBA-1 mRNA expression was not modified, CX3CR1 mRNA expression was lower in the striatum of 100SBDE exposed rats regardless of genotype, suggesting a downregulation of the fractalkine receptor on microglia in this brain region. Together, these data indicate that while microglia are detecting and responding to 100SBDE exposure with changes in morphology, there is reduced expression of CX3CR1 regardless of genetic background and the activation response is atypical without traditional inflammatory markers of M1 or M2 activation in the brain.     

The pressor response to spinal cholinergic stimulation in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Several laboratories have demonstrated that central cholinergic stimulation in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) results in an exaggerated pressor response as compared to normotensive (NT) controls. Recent studies in this laboratory have demonstrated a spinal cholinergic pressor system in the NT rat. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the pressor response to spinal cholinergic stimulation is enhanced in SHR. In freely moving rats, intrathecal injection of neostigmine or carbachol (1-5 micrograms) produced a dose-related hypertensive response in both strains of rats. While both agonists produced similar maximal increases in blood pressure in NT rats, the pressor responses to both agonists were significantly greater in SHR. The tachycardic responses to IT injection of cholinergic agonists were also significantly greater in SHR. These differences were more apparent at the lower doses where, for example, the pressor response to 1 microgram of agonist in the SHR was increased by 123% and 109% of the response in NT rats for carbachol and neostigmine, respectively. Since both direct and indirect acting agonists produced greater responses in SHR, and spinal depletion of acetylcholine did not reduce blood pressure in SHR, it is most likely that spinal cholinergic systems ascend to higher centers to elicit pressor responses. In the case of the SHR, these higher centers may be supersensitive to cholinergic stimulation.     

Effects of aniracetam on impaired sleep patterns in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

The aim of the present study was to determine the pattern of sleep disturbances and the effects on sleep of aniracetam, a cognitive enhancer, in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). Compared with normotensive control rats, SHRSP exhibited an impaired sleep pattern characterized by suppressed diurnal rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and excessive nocturnal non-REM sleep. At a dose of 30 mg/kg per day p.o., aniracetam increased REM sleep in the light period after administration for 5 consecutive days. Consequently, suppressed REM sleep in SHRSP was restored by repeated treatment with aniracetam. Aniracetam could be useful in improving REM sleep impairment associated with vascular dementia.     

Blood-brain barrier is impaired in the hippocampus of young adult spontaneously hypertensive rats

A causative role of blood-brain barrier (BBB) impairment is suggested in the pathogenesis of vascular dementia with leakage of serum components from small vessels leading to neuronal and glial damage. We examined the BBB function of young adult spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) in order to determine earlier changes in the BBB in chronic hypertension. SHR and stroke-prone SHR (SHRSP) were injected with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as an indicator of BBB function and compared with Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). The brain tissues were further examined with cationized ferritin, a marker for evaluating glycocalyx. The staining for HRP was distributed around the vessels in the hippocampal fissure of SHR and SHRSP, but not in WKY. With electron microscopy, the extravasated reaction product of HRP appeared in abluminal pits of the endothelial cells of arterioles and within the basal lamina in the hippocampus, but not the cerebral cortex, of SHR and SHRSP. On the contrary, the reaction product of HRP was never seen in the abluminal pits of the endothelial cells or the basal lamina of vessels in WKY. The number of cationized ferritin particles binding to the endothelial cells of capillaries was decreased in the hippocampus of SHR and SHRSP, while the number decreased in the cerebral cortex of SHRSP compared with those in WKY. However, the cationized ferritin binding was preserved in the endothelial cells of the arterioles with an increased vascular permeability. These findings suggest that the chronic hypertensive state induces BBB dysfunction in the hippocampus at an early stage.     

Parasympathetic stimulation elicits cerebral vasodilatation in rat

Forebrain arteries receive nitroxidergic input from parasympathetic ganglionic fibers that arise from the pterygopalatine ganglia. Previous studies have shown that ganglionic stimulation in some species led to cerebral vasodilatation while interruption of those fibers interfered with vasodilatation seen during acute hypertension. Because the ganglionic fibers are quite delicate and are easily damaged when the ganglia are approached with published techniques we sought to develop a method that allowed clear exposure of the ganglia and permitted demonstration of cerebral vasodilatation with electrical stimulation of the ganglia in the rat. We had found that an orbital approach during which the eye was retracted for visualization of the ganglion precluded eliciting vasodilatation with ganglionic stimulation. In the current study approaching the ganglion through an incision over the zygomatic arch provided clear exposure of the ganglion and stimulation of the ganglion with that approach led to vasodilatation.     

Vascular changes underlying cerebral lesions in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

Summary The relationship of the vascular changes to the cerebral lesions has been studied using serial sections of the brains from five cases of the strokeprone spontaneously hypertensive rats. Infraction was observed in a form of microinfarct related to single or plural occluded arterioles in the brain and subarachnoid space. Though most arterioles with fibrinoid necrosis of the wall were occluded with thrombus, infarct, which was obviously related to the occluded arterioles, was verified only in a few occasions. It was proved that infarction did not develop in all the areas irrigated by the occluded arterioles, and the regional circulation was assumed to have been maintained by the collateral circulation.There was rarefaction of the neuropil with preservation of the neurons in the cortex around the vascular changes, such as fibrinoid necrosis of the wall. Widespread rarefaction and cyst formation were observed in the subjacent white matter, which were more marked in the vicinity of the vascular changes in the cortex. These histological changes were interpreted to be the tissue degeneration secondary to edema.     

Pentoxifylline does not reduce cerebral ischemic edema in hypertensive rats

Continuous infusion of pentoxifylline 0.30 mg per kg per min starting 30 min after occlusion of the middle cerebral artery did not reduce the development of cerebral edema, as measured by specific gravity 6 h after occlusion in spontaneously hypertensive rats. On the contrary, in the parietal region the specific gravity was significantly lower in treated rats, indicating an increased water content. Thus, this study failed to show any beneficial effect of pentoxifylline in brain edema during early permanent ischemia.     

Regional cerebral blood flow in conscious stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured autoradiographically with [14C]iodoantipyrine as a diffusible tracer in two strains of conscious normotensive rats (Wistar Kyoto and local Wistar) and in two groups of spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rats (SHRSP) with a mean arterial pressure (MAP) below or above 200 mm Hg. In spite of the large differences in arterial pressure, rCBF did not differ significantly between the hypertensive and the normotensive groups in any of the 14 specified brain structures measured. However, rCBF increased asymmetrically within part of the caudate-putamen in two of nine SHRSP with a MAP above 200 mm Hg, indicating a regional drop in the elevated cerebrovascular resistance.     

Altered gene expression in cerebral capillaries of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

Stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) are a well-characterized, genetic model for stroke. We showed earlier that the structure and function of the tight junctions in SHRSP blood–brain barrier endothelial cells is disturbed prior to stroke. To investigate the molecular events leading to endothelial dysfunction in SHRSP cerebral capillaries, we carried out suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) in combination with a cDNA filter screening step. We identified two cDNA fragments that were upregulated in SHRSP, compared to stroke-resistant spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and found open reading frames of 133 and 138 amino acids, respectively. These peptides did not match any known proteins in public databases. A third upregulated SHRSP cDNA fragment was identified as the rat sulfonylurea receptor 2B (SUR2B). We also isolated and cloned the cDNA of the rat homologue for the mouse G-protein signaling 5 (RGS5) regulator. This regulator was downregulated in SHRSP. We used in situ hybridization to show that rat RGS5 is expressed in the brain capillary endothelium and in the choroid plexus. Our findings may lead to the identification of new stroke-related genes.     

Neuroprotective effects of candesartan against cerebral ischemia in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The cerebral protective effects of 4-week treatment with candesartan (0.3, 1, 3 mg/kg/day) and ramipril (0.5, 1.5, 5 mg/kg/day) were examined in spontaneous hypertensive rats 24 h after middle cerebral artery occlusion. We found that both candesartan and ramipril could reduce the infarct volume and neurological deficit scores compared with control. Importantly, the neuroprotective effects of candesartan (1 mg/kg/day) were abolished by PD123319 (an AT2 receptor antagonist, 10 mg/kg/day). AT1 receptor gene expression was downregulated while AT2 receptor gene expression was upregulated by candesartan. It is concluded that candesartan appears to provide beneficial effects against stroke in spontaneous hypertensive rats in three ways: AT1 receptor antagonism, downregulation of AT1 receptor expression and upregulation of AT2 receptor expression.     

肾血管性高血压大鼠脑梗塞后脑微血管形态计量学动态观察

本研究选用双肾双夹肾动脉狭窄术复制成的肾血管性高血压大鼠（ＲＨＲ）５４只；同龄正常血压鼠（ＳＤＲ）５４只，各分为大脑中动脉闭塞（ＭＣＡｏ）前、后不同时间的９个实验和对照组，各组均即时从心腔等压灌注中华墨汁，取脑顶叶梗塞灶边缘区，行冠状、矢状、水平三方向取材，制片，在显微镜下作微血管形态计量学测定．结果显示ＲＨＲ顶叶脑皮质毛细血管直径、单位体积毛细血管长度、表面积、通过２００μｍ的毛细血管支数均较ＳＤＲ减少，表明高血压可致脑微血管稀疏；同时观察到局部脑梗塞后上述反映毛细血管网三维构筑的参数变化远较对照鼠明显，缺血后脑损伤更严重。说明毛细血管损伤程度与梗塞灶的大小直接相关，因此应加强高血压的防治，以保护脑微血管立体构筑。     

The possible role of lysosomal enzymes in the pathogenesis of hypertensive cerebral lesions in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Summary In an attempt to clarify the role of lysosomal enzymes in the developmental mechanisms of cerebral lesions under chronic hypertensive conditions, we biochemically investigated the activities of acid phosphatase (AcPase), N-àcetyl -glucosaminidase (NAGase) and cathepsin B (CathB) in the cerebral cortex and subcortical white matter in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSPs). We also investigated enzyme-histochemically the activities of AcPase and NAGase, and immunohistochemically the distribution of CathB. The activities of all enzymes tended to increase with advancing age. The enzyme activities in the aged SHRSPs were in general higher than those in normotensive rats, the differences being significant at 24 weeks of age. Histochemical investigation showed that SHRSPs had an increased number of cells with positive reaction to these enzymes in the edematous cortex with and without vascular changes, and degenerated subcortical white matter. These cells with positive reaction were made up of reactively increased astrocytes and microglia. Neurons in the edematous area also showed slightly intensified enzyme activities. The present studies suggest that chronic hypertension or chronic edema due to hypertension causes increased activities of lysosomal enzymes in the cerebral cortex and subcortical white matter and, thus, that activated lysosomal enzymes may take part in the developmental mechanisms of cystic formation as well as the diffuse degeneration of the white matter.Supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan     

Effect of aging on endothelium-dependent vascular relaxation of isolated human basilar artery to thrombin and bradykinin

Using strips of human basilar arteries mounted in organ chambers to record isometric tension, we investigated vascular reactivity to thrombin and bradykinin. Both agents produced endothelium-dependent relaxation of basilar artery strips precontracted with phenylephrine but had no effect on resting tension in strips with or without endothelium. The relaxations caused by thrombin were abolished by antithrombin III/heparin, hirudin, and MD805. Thrombin but not bradykinin caused complete tachyphylaxis toward a second exposure. Indomethacin did not inhibit the relaxations induced by thrombin or bradykinin, whereas bromophenacyl bromide and methylene blue did. Aging decreased the relaxation induced by thrombin but did not affect the concentration needed to reach 50% maximal relaxation, nor did it affect the maximal relaxation in response to bradykinin, calcium ionophore A23187, and sodium nitroprusside. Our results suggest that thrombin and bradykinin produce endothelium-dependent relaxations mediated by an endothelium-derived relaxing substance and that the relaxation caused by thrombin is mediated by a proteolytic action on endothelial cells. The decrease in relaxations in response to thrombin with increasing age might be due to a decrease in the number or sensitivity of thrombin receptors on endothelial cells.     

Recovery of impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation after fluid-percussion brain injury in cats

The effect of a moderate level of fluid-percussion brain injury on acetylcholine-induced cerebral arteriolar vasodilation was examined for 12 hours after trauma in anesthetized cats equipped with cranial windows. The cats were then perfused with aldehydes, and the pial arteries were prepared for electron microscopy. Immediately after brain injury, the normal vasodilator response to topical application of acetylcholine was converted to vasoconstriction. By 4 hours after trauma, the ability of small pial arterioles (diameters less than 100 microns) to dilate after acetylcholine application had returned to the pretrauma level and was observed to be normal at both 8 and 12 hours after trauma (p less than 0.05). The vasodilator response of large caliber arterioles (diameters greater than or equal to 100 microns) at 4, 8, and 12 hours after injury was reduced relative to the pretrauma response but was significantly improved relative to their response at 30 minutes after trauma (p less than 0.05). Moreover, the response of large vessels at 4, 8, and 12 hours in injured animals was equal to that observed in noninjured control animals assessed at 4, 8, and 12 hours after window implantation. At 12 hours after injury, the ultrastuctural characteristics of both large and small vessels resembled their preinjury state. These data suggest that the impairment of acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation observed in cats after fluid-percussion brain injury is not irreversible but returns to normal (small arterioles) or exhibits significant recovery (large arterioles) within 4 hours after injury.     

高血压大鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤时的病理学变化

目的研究高血压大鼠在脑缺血损伤时的病理改变。方法用线拴法将肾性高血压大鼠制作成脑缺血再灌注模型,在光镜和透射电镜下观察脑组织的病理和超微结构改变。结果高血压组大鼠与正常大鼠相比,在局灶性缺血再灌注损伤时有明显的组织学改变。结论高血压可经过多种机制加剧脑缺血性损伤。     

高血压大鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤时的病理学变化

目的 研究高血压大鼠在脑缺血损伤时的病理改变.方法 用线拴法将肾性高血压大鼠制作成脑缺血再灌注模型,在光镜和透射电镜下观察脑组织的病理和超微结构改变.结果 高血压组大鼠与正常大鼠相比,在局灶性缺血再灌注损伤时有明显的组织学改变.结论 高血压可经过多种机制加剧脑缺血性损伤.     

Different susceptibilities to cerebral infarction in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats

Rapid occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was undertaken in 5-6 week old rats to determine whether or not the young spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) or the normotensive Sprague-Dawley rat (SD) is protected against cerebral infarction by collateral circulation. Rats were killed 3 days after MCA occlusion and administration of Evans blue. As compared to SD, the SHR had elevated blood pressure prior to MCA occlusion, large cortical infarcts marked with Evans blue, and motor deficits contralateral to the occluded MCA. SHR did not develop an adequate collateral circulation, but SD were protected from infarction by it. Because the cerebral lesions were in young spontaneously hypertensive rats living prior to the established form of hypertension, the increased susceptibility to infarction was not secondary to it. Since normotensive rats usually do not infarct after sudden MCA occlusion, the infarction trait may be linked to the mechanism causing elevated blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats.