scholarly journals Investigation of Estrogen Status and Increased Stroke Sensitivity on Cerebral Blood Flow after a Focal Ischemic Insult

2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 931-936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary V. O. Carswell ◽  
Niall H. Anderson ◽  
James J. Morton ◽  
James McCulloch ◽  
Anna F. Dominiczak ◽  
...  

Recently the authors have shown that female stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSPs) in proestrus (high endogenous estrogen), sustain more than 20% smaller infarcts after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) compared with SHRSPs in metestrus (low endogenous estrogen). Because estrogen has vasodilator properties, the authors investigated whether the estrous state influences cerebral blood flow (CBF) after MCAO. CBF was measured 2.5 hours after a distal MCAO by [14C]iodo-antipyrine autoradiography in conscious SHRSPs either in metestrus or in proestrus. There were no significant differences in CBF when analyzed either at predetermined anatomic regions or by cumulative distribution analysis of areas with flow <25 mL/100 g/min. As a positive internal control, the authors compared results in SHRSPs with those in their normotensive reference strain, Wistar Kyoto rat. SHRSPs displayed more severe and widespread ischemia than Wistar Kyoto rats. Thus, the absence of demonstrable CBF differences between estrous states appears to be unrelated to the CBF measurement paradigm. In conclusion, the smaller infarct size afforded in proestrus in SHRSPs is unlikely to be due to an influence on CBF.

2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary V Carswell ◽  
Deborah Bingham ◽  
Kirsty Wallace ◽  
M Nilsen ◽  
David I Graham ◽  
...  

We previously reported that during pro-estrus (high endogenous estrogen levels), brain damage after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was reduced in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) but not in normotensive Wistar Kyoto rat (WKY). In the present study, we examined the effect of exogenous estrogen on brain damage after MCAO in SHRSP and WKY. A 17β-estradiol (0.025mg or 0.25mg, 21 day release) or matching placebo pellet was implanted into ovariectomized WKY and SHRSP (3 to 4 months old) who then underwent distal diathermy-induced MCAO 2 weeks later. Plasma 17β-estradiol levels for placebo and 17β-estradiol groups were as follows: WKY 0.025 mg 16.4 ± 8.5 (pg/mL, mean ± SD) and 25.85 ± 12.6; WKY 0.25 mg 18.2 ± 9.0 and 69.8 ± 27.4; SHRSP 0.25 mg 20.7 ± 8.8 and 81.0 ± 16.9. In SHRSP, infarct volumes at 24 hours after MCAO were similar in placebo and 17β-estradiol groups: SHRSP 0.025 mg 126.7 ± 15.3 mm3 (n = 6) and 114.0 ± 14.1 mm3 (n = 8) (not significant); SHRSP 0.25 mg 113.5 ± 22.3 mm3 (n = 8) and 129.7 ± 26.2 mm3 (n = 7) (not significant), respectively. In WKY, 17β-estradiol significantly increased infarct volume by 65% with 0.025mg dose [36.1 ± 20.7 mm3 (n = 8) and 59.7 ± 19.3 mm3 (n = 8) ( P = 0.033, unpaired t-test)] and by 96% with 0.25 mg dose [55.9 ± 36.4 mm3 (n = 8) and 109.7 ± 6.7 mm3 (n = 4) ( P = 0.017)]. Thus, 17β-estradiol increased stroke damage in normotensive rats with no significant effect in stroke-prone rats. Despite being contrary to our hypothesis, our findings add substance to the recently reported negative effects of 17β-estradiol in clinical studies.


1989 ◽  
Vol 257 (5) ◽  
pp. H1656-H1662
Author(s):  
M. Anwar ◽  
H. R. Weiss

The effects of adenosine on regional cerebral blood flow and indexes of the total and perfused microvascular bed were studied after 1 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion in the anesthetized rat. Iodo[14C]antipyrine was used to determine cerebral blood flow. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran was used to study the perfused microvasculature, and an alkaline phosphatase stain was used to identify the total bed. Mean arterial blood pressure was significantly reduced by adenosine. Cerebral blood flow increased significantly by 75%, except in the flow-restricted cortex where flow averaged 28 +/- 15 (SD) ml.min-1.100 g-1 in control and 34 +/- 33 ml.min-1.100 g-1 in adenosine-treated animals. No significant regional structural differences were observed within the microvascular beds of the two groups. The percentage of the microvascular volume perfused increased significantly in all brain regions in the adenosine-treated rats, including the flow-restricted cortex. The percent perfused arteriolar volume in the flow-restricted cortex was 30 +/- 12% in control and 95 +/- 3% in adenosine-treated animals. Similar values for the capillary bed were 22 +/- 10% in control and 54 +/- 3% in adenosine-treated rats. These results indicate a maintenance of flow with a reduction in diffusion distances in the flow-restricted cortex after treatment with adenosine.


2018 ◽  
Vol 314 (5) ◽  
pp. H967-H977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Shearer ◽  
Susan J. Coker ◽  
Hilary V. O. Carswell

2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is a major modulator of blood flow and platelet aggregation and a potential neuroprotectant. The present study investigated, for the first time, the effects of 2-AG on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the first critical hours during middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and on platelet aggregation in rats. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 30) underwent permanent MCAO under isoflurane anesthesia and were randomly assigned to receive either 2-AG (6 mg/kg iv), monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor JZL-184 (10 mg/kg iv), or vehicle ( n = 6 rats/group) treatment. CBF and cardiovascular responses were measured, by a blinded investigator, for up to 4 h. In separate experiments, platelet aggregation by 2-AG (19–300 µM) was assessed by whole blood aggregometry ( n = 40). 2-AG and JZL-184 significantly increased the severity of the CBF deficit versus vehicle (20.2 ± 8.8% and 22.7 ± 6.4% vs. 56.4 ± 12.1% of pre-MCAO baseline, respectively, P < 0.05) but had no effect on blood pressure or heart rate. While JZL-184 significantly increased the number of thrombi after MCAO, this did not reach significance by 2-AG. 2-AG induced platelet aggregation in rat whole blood in a similar manner to arachidonic acid and was significantly reduced by the cyclooxygenase inhibitors indomethacin and flurbiprofen and the thromboxane receptor antagonist ICI 192,605 ( P < 0.05). This is the first study showing that 2-AG increases the severity of the CBF deficit during MCAO, and further interrogation confirmed 2-AG-induced platelet aggregation in rats. These findings are important because 2-AG had previously been shown to exert neuroprotective actions and therefore force us to reevaluate the circumstances under which 2-AG is beneficial. NEW & NOTEWORTHY 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) has neuroprotective properties; however, the present study revealed that 2-AG increases the severity of the cerebral blood flow deficit during middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. Further interrogation showed that 2-AG induces platelet aggregation in rats. These findings force us to reevaluate the circumstances under which 2-AG is beneficial.


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