Poststroke DNA immunization against neurite growth inhibitors is beneficial to the recovery from local cerebral ischemia in rats

BACKGROUND： Inhibitory signals, i.e. neurite growth inhibitors （NGIs）, presenting on central nervous system （CNS） myelin have been shown to play a crucial role in inhibiting lesioned axonal sprouting and leading to less functional recovery. Vaccines targeting NGIs may provide multifactorial protection against brain insults by overcoming the inhibitory effects of these NGIs and boosting the body＇s immune repair mechanisms. OBJECTIVE： To evaluate the effect of poststroke DNA immunization against NGIs on the rehabilitation for sensorimotor function of rat models of local cerebral ischemia. DESIGN： Completely randomized grouping design, and controlled experiment. SETTING： Brain Injury Research Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore. MATERIALS： Sixty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats ranging in age from 45 to 120 days and in weight from 180 to 250 grams were provided by Animal Center of Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore. pcDNA3.1（＋）-neurite growth inhibitors （pcDNA-NGIs） a gift was provided by Dr. Xiao from Department of Clinical Research, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. METHODS： The experiment was carried out at Brain Injury Research Laboratory, Department of Neurosurgery, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore from August 2003 to April 2005. （1）The involved rats were randomized into 3 groups： pcDNA-NGIs group （group A）, pcDNA3.1 （＋） group （group B） and model group （group C）, with 20 rats in each group. Left focal cerebral ischemia （FCI） was permanently induced through middle cerebral artery occlusion （MCAO） with the assistance of an operating microscope. Successful MCAO was determined by a 20% decrease to baseline in the ipsilateral cerebral blood flow. 100 μg of pcDNA-NGIs eluted in phosphate-buffered saline （PBS） was intramuscularly injected into the tibial muscle once a week after MCAO for 6 weeks in group A. As control, pcDNA3.1 （＋） was also administrated in the same way in group B and nothing was administrated in group C. （2） The modified neurological severity score （mNSS）, a composite of motor, sensory, reflex and balance tests, was used to test the sensorimotor deficit. The mNSS was graded on a scale of 0 - 18, i.e. normal score was 0, maximal deficit score was 18, and 1 point was warded for the inability to perform the tasks or the lack of a tested reflex. （3） The newly generated axons of corticorubral projection were traced by stereotaxic guided injection of 100 g/L biotinylated dextran amine. Rats were sacrificed two weeks after tracing, and cryostat coronal sections of midbrains （30μm） were reacted to BDA according to the manufacturer＇s instruction by the free-floating method. Images were captured on a DM RXA2 LEICA Microscope with a Spot Digital Camera system （Germany）, and the numbers of labeled axons on the denervated side in four standard coronal sections including the red nucleus were manually quantified. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： （1） The number of newly generated axons of corticorubral projection. （2）The improvement in sensorimotor deficit. RESULTS： All the involved 60 rats entered the stage of final analysis. （1） The number of newly generated axons of corticorubral projection of rats： Only ipsilateral axons of CRP were noted with little evidence of fibers crossing to the contralateral red nucleus in rats of groups B and C. More BDA-positive fibers crossing the midline and terminating in the contralateral red nucleus in appropriate target areas mirroring the non-differentiated red nucleus were found in rats of group A. Quantitative analysis showed that BDA-labeled axons in the denervated side of rats in group A were more than those in group B （P 〈 0.05）. （2） Improvement in sensorimotor deficit of rats： At 2 weeks after immunization, significant improvement in sensorimotor deficit was found in rats of group A. There were significant differences of improvement in sensorimotor deficit of rats between group A and group B or group C at 12 and 14 weeks after immunization （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： （1） Poststroke DNA immunization against NGIs leads to increased sensorimotor recovery following FCI and compensatory newly growth of axons from corticorubral projection.     

光学相干断层成像技术判断心肌缺血损伤程度和范围在体研究的进展

外科手术对心肌缺血的血运重建是目前治疗心肌缺血性疾病的重要手段之一。术中准确判断心肌缺血范围及程度和严密监测心脏停跳后心肌细胞损伤是否加重，对于血运重建的准确性，更好地实施心肌保护及对手术疗效的评估和术后处理方案的拟定有着重要意义。因此，如何在术中判断心肌缺血的损伤程度和范围具有极为重要的实验研究意义与临床现实意义。光学相干层析成像作为一种新颖的成像技术，能对活体组织内部微小结构进行实时、在体、高分辨率断层成像。     

青皮对大鼠脑梗死灶周边区葡萄糖利用率的影响

目的观察青皮升压治疗对大鼠局灶性脑缺血再灌注模型皮质下梗死灶周边葡萄糖利用率(LCGU)的影响。方法将16只大鼠随机分为对照组、青皮升压组,采用大鼠大脑中动脉闭塞(MCAO)再灌注模型,在缺血2h用青皮升高血压20%~30%,缺血24h后处死大鼠,采用定量放射自显影技术测定2组缺血侧大脑半球皮质下梗死灶周边区及对侧大脑半球同源区的LCGU。结果对照组、青皮升压组皮质下梗死灶周边的LCGU分别为(250±39.3)μmol·100g-1·min-1,(182.7±23.03)μmol·100g-1·min-1,明显高于对侧大脑半球同源区(170.4±22.5)μmol·100g-1·min-1,(134.1±29.9)μmol·100g-1·min-1(P<0.05);青皮组皮质下梗死灶周边的LCGU明显低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论在皮质下梗死灶周边存在葡萄糖利用率增高区,青皮可改善皮质下脑梗死灶周边无氧糖酵解。     

雌二醇对去势沙鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤后脑组织中NO和NOS的影响

目的　观察雌二醇对去势沙鼠脑缺血再灌注脑损伤的保护作用。方法　去势雌性沙鼠 30只 ,随机分为假手术组、缺血再灌注组和雌二醇干预组。采用夹闭双侧颈总动脉法复制沙鼠脑缺血再灌注模型 ,缺血 7min再灌注 12h ,取脑组织测定脑组织中一氧化氮 (NO)含量、一氧化氮合酶 (NOS)活力的变化 ,并取脑组织观察海马CA1区神经细胞的病理改变。结果　缺血再灌注组脑组织中NO含量明显增高 ,NOS活力明显降低 ,与假手术组比较有显著差异 (P <0 . 0 1) ;雌二醇干预组脑组织中NO水平明显降低 ,NOS活力有所增高 ,与缺血再灌注组比较有显著差异 (P <0 . 0 1) ;缺血再灌注组脑组织海马CA1区神经细胞损伤明显 ,脑组织水肿明显 ;雌二醇干预组神经细胞损伤明显减轻。结论　预防性应用雌二醇能明显减轻缺血再灌注所造成的神经细胞损伤 ,对脑缺血再灌注损伤有保护作用。     

Synaptosomal Na, K-ATPase during forebrain ischemia in Mongolian gerbils

We studied the activity and kinetic parameters of synaptosomal Na, K-ATPase during 15 min of forebrain ischemia and following 60 min of reperfusion produced by reversible common carotid occlusion in Mongolian gerbils. A synaptosomal fraction was obtained by both differential centrifugation of brain tissue homogenate and centrifugation of crude mitochondrial fraction at a discontinual sucrose density gradient. We found two components of ATP concentration dependence of ATP hydrolysis that represent two types of ATP-binding sites: high affinity and low affinity. Neither ischemia nor reperfusion affected kinetic parameters of a high-affinity site. However, lowaffinity site parameters were affected by both ischemia and ischemia followed by reperfusion. Maximal velocity (V _max) decreased by 43 and 42% after ischemia and after ischemia/reperfusion, respectively. The apparentK _m for ATP decreased by 52% after ischemia and by 47% after ischemia/reperfusion. The apparent affinities for K⁺ and Na⁺ were determined from the ATP hydrolysis rate as a function of Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations. We found the half-maximal activation constant for K⁺ (K _a K⁺) increased by 60% after ischemia and by 146% after ischemia/reperfusion. On the other hand, we found thatK _aNa⁺ decreased significantly after ischemia/reperfusion (16%). We concluded that it is the dephosphorylation step of the ATPase reation cycle that is primarily affected by both ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion. This might be caused by alteration of the protein molecule and/or its surroundings subsequent to ischemia.     

Felodipine or Hydrochlorothiazide/Triamterene for Treatment of Hypertension in the Elderly: Effects on Blood Pressure, Hypertensive Heart Disease, Metabolic and Hormonal Parameters

Trenkwalder P, Plaschke M, Aulehner R, Lydtin H. Felodipine or Hydrochlorothiazide/Triamterene for Treatment of' Hypertension in the Elderly: Effects on Blood Pressure, Hypertensive Heart Disease, Metabolic and Hormonal Parameters.

The aim of the study was to compare the antihypertensive efficacy of either felodipine or the diuretic combination hydrochlorothiazide/triamterene in a group (n = 65) of elderly (≥70 years) hypertensives (office blood pressure ≥ 60/95 mmHg) with special regard to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, hypertensive heart disease and metabolic parameters. This was a randomized, double-blind study with a treatment period of 6 months. Reduction of office and 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure was comparable with both treatment regimens; after 6 months, 18 of 29 patients in the felodipine group (62%) and 20 of 27 patients in the diuretic group (74%; p = 0.4) were controlled. While episodes of ischemic type ST-segment depression were significantly reduced in the felodipine group (from 49 to 9 episodes), there was no significant change in the diuretic group (from 24 to 21 episodes). Both regimens decreased left ventricular wall thickness, but the decline in left ventricular muscle mass index was significant only for felodipine. Felodipine did not induce any change in metabolic or hormonal parameters; the diuretic combination significantly increased serum creatinine, uric acid, plasma renin activity, and plasma prorenin. Thus, the antihypertensive efficacy of felodipine and the diuretic combination was comparable in elderly hypertensives; only felodipine, however, improved parameters of hypertensive heart diesease and showed a neutral metabolic and hormonal profile.     

Induction of NADPH-diaphorase activity in the hippocampus in a rat model of cerebral ischemia and ischemic tolerance

Preconditioning of the brain with sublethal ischemia induces tolerance to subsequent lethal periods of ischemia (ischemic tolerance). In this study, we used NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry to investigate the postischemic changes of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the hippocampus in a rat model of cerebral ischemia and ischemic tolerance. Forebrain ischemia was induced by 4-vessel occlusion for 3 min as an ischemic preconditioning. Three days after the preconditioning or sham operation, second ischemia was induced for 6 min. A transient increase in NADPH-diaphorase activity, beginning after 2 h and maximal after 1 day, was observed in CA1 pyramidal neurons of rats subjected to 3 min of preconditioning ischemia as well as 6 min of subsequent ischemia both with and without preconditioning. In addition, expression of NADPH-diaphorase activity was seen in reactive glial cells in the damaged CA1 region of animals subjected to 6 min of ischemia without preconditioning. Thus, direct involvement of increased NADPH-diaphorase activity in ischemic tolerance was not suggested because the increased NADPH-diaphorase activity preceded the induction of ischemic tolerance which takes place 1–7 days after preconditioning. However, the present findings suggest that the induction of neuronal NADPH-diaphorase activity occurs in response to cerebral ischemia.     

Inhibition of warm ischemic injury to rat liver, pancreas, and heart grafts by controlling the nutritional status of both donor and recipient

In this study, we tested the effect of donor fasting with or without the use of an essential fatty acids deficiency (EFAD) diet in the recipient using rat heart, pancreas, and liver transplant models. We then compared the survivals, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) response, and white cell accumulation in rats in order to clarify the mechanisms of the beneficial effect of donor fasting and recipient EFAD. It was found that when the grafts were obtained from fasted donors and then transplanted into fed recipients, the survival rate was significantly higher for all three grafts than for those obtained from fed rats and transplanted into fed rats. The best survival was seen for pancreas grafts obtained from fasted donors and then transplanted into EFAD recipients. TNF-α secretion was significantly suppressed in both fasted and EFAD rats, and both the total cell count and neutrophil count were suppressed in EFAD rats. These results clearly indicate that in addition to liver grafts, both heart and pancreas grafts obtained from fasted animals are more tolerant to warm ischemic injury. Furthermore, the combination of donor fasting and recipient EFAD acts synergistically to inhibit the post-transplantation inflammatory reaction (through decreased TNF-α secretion and white cell accumulation), thus resulting in an improved survival.     

氯胺酮对脑缺血大鼠突触体ATP酶活力的影响

目的 研究氯妥酮（ＫＴ）对大鼠脑缺血ＡＴＰ酶活性变化的影响。方法 采用大鼠四动脉阻断脑缺血模型，缺血１０ｍｉｎ后测量纹状体和海马突触体Ｎａ＾＋、Ｋ＾＋－ＡＴＰ和Ｃａ＾２＋－＝ＡＴＰ酶活性。结果 脑缺血时两个脑区的ＡＴＰ酶活性均显著下降。缺血的前预先应用ＫＴ２５ｍｇ．ｋｇ＾－１和５０ｍｇ．ｋｇ可拮抗脑缺血时ＡＴＰ酶活性的下降。结论 ＫＴ可通过拮抗脑缺血时ＡＴＰ酶活性的下降对抗脑缺血损伤。     

粉防己碱对缺血顿抑大鼠心肌功能和ATP酶活力的影响

目的：观察粉防己碱（ｔｅｔｒａｎｄｒｉｎｅ，Ｔｅｔ）对缺血顿抑心肌的保护作用并分析与心肌ＡＴＰ酶活力的关系。方法：离体大鼠工作心脏，全心缺血３０ｍｉｎ再灌４０ｍｉｎ，无机磷显色法分析ＡＴＰ酶活力。结果：顿抑心肌收缩舒张功能均明显降低，再灌期末ＬＶＳＰ×ＨＲ仅恢复５２％±８％，ＬＶＥＤＰ抬高２９８％±６４％，ＣＯ仅恢复４０％±８％，心肌细胞膜和线粒体Ｎａ＋，Ｋ＋－ＡＴＰ酶和Ｃａ２＋，Ｍｇ２＋－ＡＴＰ酶活力均下降，Ｔｅｔ（３０ｍｇ·ｋｇ－１·ｄ－１，ｉｐ，３ｄ，１０μｍｏｌ·Ｌ－１灌流缺血全程）可使ＬＶＳＰ×ＨＲ恢复８５％±１２％，ＬＶＥＤＰ仅抬高１６６％±４４％，ＣＯ恢复７５％±１１％，心肌细胞膜及线粒体Ｎａ＋，Ｋ＋－ＡＴＰ酶和Ｃａ２＋，Ｍｇ２＋－ＡＴＰ酶活力增高。结论：Ｔｅｔ对心肌缺血后顿抑损伤有一定保护作用，这一作用与维护顿抑期心肌细胞ＡＴＰ酶活力有关。