Efficacy of Alteplase in a Mouse Model of Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Retrospective Pooled Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The debate over the fact that experimental drugs proposed for the treatment of stroke fail in the translation to the clinical situation has attracted considerable attention in the literature. In this context, we present a retrospective pooled analysis of a large data set from preclinical studies, to examine the effects of early versus late administration of intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator. METHODS: We collected data from 26 individual studies from 9 international centers (13 researchers; 716 animals) that compared recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator with controls, in a unique mouse model of thromboembolic stroke induced by an in situ injection of thrombin into the middle cerebral artery. Studies were classified into early (<3 hours) versus late (≥3 hours) drug administration. Final infarct volumes, assessed by histology or magnetic resonance imaging, were compared in each study, and the absolute differences were pooled in a random-effect meta-analysis. The influence of time of administration was tested. RESULTS: When compared with saline controls, early recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator administration was associated with a significant benefit (absolute difference, -6.63 mm(3); 95% confidence interval, -9.08 to -4.17; I(2)=76%), whereas late recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator treatment showed a deleterious effect (+5.06 mm(3); 95% confidence interval, +2.78 to +7.34; I(2)=42%; Pint<0.00001). Results remained unchanged after subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide the basis needed for the design of future preclinical studies on recanalization therapies using this model of thromboembolic stroke in mice. The power analysis reveals that a multicenter trial would require 123 animals per group instead of 40 for a single-center trial.

Prospective versus retrospective ECG-gating for 64-detector computed tomography of the coronary venous system in pigs.

BACKGROUND: Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) provides a non-invasive anatomic description of the coronary veins that may be useful in patients candidates to cardiac resynchronization. Prospective gating reduces radiation exposure but its impact on image quality is unknown is this setting. AIMS: This study compared image quality and reliability of MDCT angiography of the coronary veins between prospective and retrospective gating. METHODS: Seven anaesthetized pigs underwent 64-detector row MDCT with prospective and retrospective ECG-gating. MDCT scans were evaluated for visibility of the veins, estimated radiation dose and vein characteristics. Inter- and intra-observer reproducibility was calculated. RESULTS: Visibility grades of all veins were significantly decreased in prospective (0.82 ± 0.6) compared to retrospective gating (1.68 ± 0.9; P<0.001), the lateral vein being missed in two cases when using prospective vs. retrospective gating. The maximal vein length was significantly increased when using retrospective gating (P=0.015). Inter-observer but not intra-observer reproducibility was dependent on the gating technique for the maximal length and contrast-to-noise ratio (P=0.003 for both). Heart rate was 82 ± 13 bpm and 86 ± 11 bpm during retrospective and prospective ECG-gating (P=ns) despite full dose of atenolol titration. CONCLUSION: Retrospective gating seems to be superior to prospective gating MDCT to describe the coronary venous system but the conclusions of our study should be confined to high heart rate condition.

Thrombotic stroke in the anesthetized monkey (Macaca mulatta): characterization by MRI--a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The lack of a relevant stroke model in large nonhuman primates hinders the development of innovative diagnostic/therapeutic approaches concerned with this cerebrovascular disease. Our objective was to develop a novel and clinically relevant model of embolic stroke in the anesthetized monkey that incorporates readily available clinical imaging techniques and that would allow the possibility of drug delivery including strategies of reperfusion. METHODS: Thrombin was injected into the lumen of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in 12 anesthetized (sevoflurane) male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Sequential MRI studies (including angiography, FLAIR, PWI, DWI, and gadolinium-enhanced T1W imaging) were performed in a 3T clinical MRI. Physiological and biochemical parameters were monitored throughout the investigations. RESULTS: Once standardized, the surgical procedure induced transient occlusion of the middle cerebral artery in all operated animals. All animals studied showed spontaneous reperfusion, which occurred some time between 2 h and 7 days post-ictus. Eighty percent of the studied animals showed diffusion/perfusion mismatch. The ischemic lesions at 24 h spared both superficial and profound territories of the MCA. Some animals presented hemorrhagic transformation at 7 days post-ictus. CONCLUSION: In this study, we developed a pre-clinically relevant model of embolic stroke in the anesthetized nonhuman primate.

High resolution 3T fMRI in anesthetized monkeys.

Although there are numerous 3T MRI research devices all over the world, only a few functional studies at 3T have been done in anesthetized monkeys. In the past, anesthetized preparations were reported to be misleading when exploring cortical brain regions outside the primary sensory areas. Nonetheless, a great improvement has been achieved in the limited effect of anesthetic agents on the reactivity of the brain. Here, we re-address the feasibility and potential applications of the brain oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI signal in Macaca mulatta monkeys that have been lightly anesthetized with sevoflurane and curarized. The monkeys were studied with commercially available coils and sequences using a 3T clinical magnet. We obtained sagittal T1 scout images, gray matter double inversion recovery, standard gradient echo sequences and gradient echo functional imaging sequences. Given that fMRI signals are most readily identified in the cerebral cortices, we optimized Echo Planar Imaging sequences to reproduce significant changes in the BOLD signal subsequent to a visual stimulation paradigm. Our results provide a satisfactory signal to noise ratio with a limited standard deviation range, when compared with studies on alert macaques. We suggest that the 3T magnet remains a valuable tool to analyze neural pathways in the macaque brain under light anesthesia and report the use of spatially resolved fMRI in higher visual areas of anesthetized monkeys. This methodology avoids the need for time-consuming training of awake monkeys, is stable over many hours, provides reproducible data and could be applied successfully to future functional studies.

Decreased chronic-stage cortical 11C-flumazenil binding after focal ischemia-reperfusion in baboons: a marker of selective neuronal loss?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although the penumbra can be saved by early reperfusion, in the rat it is consistently affected by selective neuronal loss. Mapping selective neuronal loss in the living primate would be desirable. METHODS: Five young adult baboons underwent (15)O positron emission tomography for cerebral blood flow, cerebral oxygen consumption, and oxygen extraction fraction mapping at baseline and serially during and after 20-hour temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion. At approximately day 30, (11)C-flumazenil (FMZ), a potential positron emission tomography marker of selective neuronal loss, and structural magnetic resonance-based infarct mapping were obtained, and the brain was perfused-fixed. Reduced FMZ binding in noninfarcted cortical middle cerebral artery areas was searched voxel-wise, and specific binding was assessed using compartmental modeling of FMZ time-activity curves. RESULTS: Visual inspection revealed reduced late FMZ uptake in the affected cortical territory, extending well beyond the infarct. Accordingly, the incidence of selected voxels was greater than chance, documenting mildly but significantly reduced FMZ uptake and specific binding. Serial (15)O positron emission tomography revealed moderately severe acute ischemia followed by reperfusion. Histopathology documented only mild neuronal changes in or near the affected areas. CONCLUSIONS: We document moderate but definite late FMZ binding decrements in noninfarcted cortical areas in the baboon, consistent with previous rat and human studies. These were acutely characterized by moderate ischemia followed by reperfusion, consistent with neuronal damage from ischemic or reperfusion injury in the salvaged at-risk tissue. Only mild histopathological changes subtended these FMZ alterations suggesting subtle processes such as isolated dendrite or synapse loss. Whether these changes impact on clinical outcome deserves studying because they may be targeted by specific neuroprotection.

Mouse model of in situ thromboembolic stroke and reperfusion.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Early reperfusion using tissue-type plasminogen activator is the only therapeutic agent to treat focal cerebral ischemia with proven efficacy in patients. Nevertheless, novel insights into the pathophysiology of neurons, glial cells, and the fate of the endothelium after stroke call for the use of new strategies to improve stroke treatment alone or in combination with tissue-type plasminogen activator-induced thrombolysis. Unfortunately, despite the plethora of drugs that display clear beneficial effects in animal models of experimental ischemia, their subsequent use in clinical trials has proven disappointing. As such, one is forced to consider that new animal models of focal cerebral ischemia may be required before clinical evaluation of a new molecule. METHODS: In situ microinjection of purified murine thrombin was used to trigger a local clot formation in anesthetized mice. Cerebral blood velocity was measured continuously throughout the duration of the study. The efficiency of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator to induce thrombolysis and its subsequent effect on infarct volume were then measured. RESULTS: In situ thrombin injection leads to a reproducible clot formation and cortical brain injury. Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator-induced thrombolysis reduced infarct volume by 36.8% when compared with untreated control mice. CONCLUSIONS: We describe an original and reproducible mouse model of in situ clot formation and reperfusion, which could be used to investigate new therapeutic strategies to improve stroke treatment.

Neuroprotection and stroke: time for a compromise.

In April 2007, there existed a repertory of 286 trials concerned with acute ischemic stroke on the Stroke Trials Registry (http://www.strokecenter.org/trials/), of which 209 trials were considered as complete (with no evidence of patient benefit unless one considers the much hard fought for and modest results of the tPA studies). Among other questions arising from such failures, one can wonder whether the plethora of pharmacological agents that exhibited neuroprotective properties in pre-clinical studies were selected for clinical trials entirely based upon their experimental efficacy. This mini-review will try to point out some of the weaknesses that could underline the failure of both researchers and clinicians involved in the field of stroke to obtain their ultimate goal--brain protection.

Histopathological effects of delayed reperfusion after middle cerebral artery occlusion in the anesthetized baboon.

In patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory stroke, attempts to recanalize the brain are currently being extended beyond the classic 3-h time window. Mechanical thrombectomy is particularly attractive as it may carry lesser risks of severe hemorrhagic transformation than thrombolysis. However, whether late reperfusion per se promotes hemorrhagic transformation and increases infarct volume as compared to permanent occlusion is unclear. There is no study of the histopathologic sequelae of late reperfusion following MCA occlusion (MCAo) in the non-human primate. Five young adult baboons completed a specially designed protocol of 20-h MCAo (under etomidate anaesthesia), followed by 4-week survival and finally perfusion-fixation. Infarct volume was measured histologically using validated stereological methods. The results were compared to our previously published series of 6 h and permanent MCAo performed with identical experimental and post mortem procedures. An infarct was present in each baboon, consistently involving the caudate head, internal capsule and putamen; the adjacent inferior frontal cortex was involved in one subject. Infarct volume was significantly larger than with 6 h MCAo, as expected, but did not differ from permanent MCAo. There was no evidence of hemorrhage around the infarcted area in any animal. We found that following a 20 h ischemic episode, the infarct volume was similar to that found with permanent occlusion, with no evidence of hemorrhagic transformation. Cautiously extrapolating to the human situation, our findings suggest that even late mechanical recanalization may not promote brain damage and could be considered in selected cases.

Cerebrovascular effects of sodium nitroprusside in the anaesthetized baboon: a positron emission tomographic study.

The effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a potent hypotensive agent, on cerebral blood flow (CBF) have been extensively studied in clinical and experimental situations but the results remain controversial. Whereas its properties would predict a dilatation of cerebral blood vessels, most studies report either no change or a decrease in CBF. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of SNP on CBF, cerebral blood volume (CBV), and cerebral oxygen metabolism (CMRO2), by means of positron emission tomography in the anaesthetized baboon. Measurements were performed during normotension (mean arterial pressure (MABP): 97+/-16 mm Hg) and repeated following SNP-induced hypotension (MABP: 44+/-9 mm Hg). Sodium nitroprusside led to an increase in CBF and CBV (+30% and +37%, respectively, P<0.05), whereas no change in CMRO2 was noted. Linear regression analysis of CBF values as a function of MABP confirmed that CBF increases when MABP is reduced by SNP. The comparison between these cerebrovascular changes and those found during trimetaphan-induced hypotension in our previously published studies further argues for a direct dilatatory effect of SNP on cerebral blood vessels.

Outcome of acutely ischemic brain tissue in prolonged middle cerebral artery occlusion: a serial positron emission tomography investigation in the baboon.

Thrombolysis within 3 to 6 hours of symptom onset is recommended therapy for acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke, but recent imaging studies in humans suggest that the penumbra may last much longer in some patients. It is therefore important to study the events that take place with occlusions that last longer than 6 hours. Based upon positron emission tomography (PET), the tissue with high oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) is at risk of infarction. In a previous sequential PET study in anesthetized baboons, we documented that when reperfusion was initiated at 6 hours after MCA occlusion, the region with the acutely highest OEF was not incorporated within the final magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-defined infarct, suggesting reperfusion prevented such demise. In agreement with this hypothesis, we report here using the same sequential PET paradigm with final chronic-stage volume MRI that a 20-hour MCA occlusion resulted in, on average, 36% of the highest OEF area being recruited into the final infarct. We also found that the portion of the highest OEF area that went on to infarct had at the earliest time-point significantly lower cerebral blood flow and cerebral oxygen metabolism (mean reductions relative to unoccluded side, 56% and 32%, respectively) than the portion that did not (41% and 11%, respectively) and that some reperfusion occurred in the latter at second time-point, that is, before recanalization. Thus, apart from duration of occlusion, the fate of the at-risk tissue is predicated by the initial severity of the ischemia as well as by early secondary events such as partial spontaneous reperfusion.