| 1. |
- Ström, Jakob O, et al.
(författare)
-
Different methods for administering 17 beta-estradiol to ovariectomized rats result in opposite effects on ischemic brain damage
- 2010
-
Ingår i: BMC Neuroscience. - London, United Kingdom : BioMed Central. - 1471-2202. ; 11, s. 39-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Numerous stroke studies have controversially shown estrogens to be either neuroprotective or neurodamaging. The discordant results observed in rat brain ischemia models may be a consequence of discrepancies in estrogen administration modes resulting in plasma concentration profiles far from those intended. To test this hypothesis we reproduced in detail and extended an earlier study from our lab using a different mode of 17 beta-estradiol administration; home-made silastic capsules instead of commercial slow-release 17 beta-estradiol pellets. Four groups of female rats (n = 12) were ovariectomized and administered 17 beta-estradiol or placebo via silastic capsules. All animals underwent MCAo fourteen days after ovariectomy and were sacrificed three days later.Results: In contrast to our earlier results using the commercial pellets, the group receiving 17 beta-estradiol during the entire experiment had significantly smaller lesions than the group receiving placebo (mean +/- SEM: 3.85 +/- 0.70% versus 7.15 +/- 0.27% of total slice area, respectively; p = 0.015). No significant neuroprotection was found when the 17 beta-estradiol was administered only during the two weeks before or the three days immediately after MCAo.Conclusions: The results indicate that different estrogen treatment regimens result in diametrically different effects on cerebral ischemia. Thus the effects of estrogens on ischemic damage seem to be concentration-related, with a biphasic, or even more complex, dose-response relation. These findings have implications for the design of animal experiments and also have a bearing on the estrogen doses used for peri-menopausal hormone replacement therapy.
|
|
| 2. |
- Ström, Jakob, et al.
(författare)
-
Disruption of the alox5ap gene ameliorates focal ischemic stroke: possible consequence of impaired leukotriene biosynthesis
- 2012
-
Ingår i: BMC Neuroscience. - London, United Kingdom : BioMed Central. - 1471-2202. ; 13, s. 146-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundLeukotrienes are potent inflammatory mediators, which in a number of studies have been found to be associated with ischemic stroke pathology: gene variants affecting leukotriene synthesis, including the FLAP (ALOX5AP) gene, have in human studies shown correlation to stroke incidence, and animal studies have demonstrated protective properties of various leukotriene-disrupting drugs. However, no study has hitherto described a significant effect of a genetic manipulation of the leukotriene system on ischemic stroke. Therefore, we decided to compare the damage from focal cerebral ischemia between wild type and FLAP knockout mice. Damage was evaluated by infarct staining and a functional test after middle cerebral artery occlusion in 20 wild type and 20 knockout male mice.ResultsMortality-adjusted median infarct size was 18.4 (3.2-76.7) mm3 in the knockout group, compared to 72.0 (16.7-174.0) mm3 in the wild type group (p < 0.0005). There was also a tendency of improved functional score in the knockout group (p = 0.068). Analysis of bone marrow cells confirmed that knockout animals had lost their ability to form leukotrienes.ConclusionsSince the local inflammatory reaction after ischemic stroke is known to contribute to the brain tissue damage, the group difference seen in the current study could be a consequence of a milder inflammatory reaction in the knockout group. Our results add evidence to the notion that leukotrienes are important in ischemic stroke, and that blocked leukotriene production ameliorates cerebral damage.
|
|
| 3. |
- Ström, Jakob, et al.
(författare)
-
Method parameters’ impact on mortality and variability in rat stroke experiments : a meta-analysis
- 2013
-
Ingår i: BMC Neuroscience. - London, United Kingdom : BioMed Central. - 1471-2202. ; 14:41
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundEven though more than 600 stroke treatments have been shown effective in preclinical studies, clinically proven treatment alternatives for cerebral infarction remain scarce. Amongst the reasons for the discrepancy may be methodological shortcomings, such as high mortality and outcome variability, in the preclinical studies. A common approach in animal stroke experiments is that A) focal cerebral ischemia is inflicted, B) some type of treatment is administered and C) the infarct sizes are assessed. However, within this paradigm, the researcher has to make numerous methodological decisions, including choosing rat strain and type of surgical procedure. Even though a few studies have attempted to address the questions experimentally, a lack of consensus regarding the optimal methodology remains.MethodsWe therefore meta-analyzed data from 502 control groups described in 346 articles to find out how rat strain, procedure for causing focal cerebral ischemia and the type of filament coating affected mortality and infarct size variability.ResultsThe Wistar strain and intraluminal filament procedure using a silicone coated filament was found optimal in lowering infarct size variability. The direct and endothelin methods rendered lower mortality rate, whereas the embolus method increased it compared to the filament method.ConclusionsThe current article provides means for researchers to adjust their middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) protocols to minimize infarct size variability and mortality.
|
|
| 4. |
- Ström, Jakob O., 1983-, et al.
(författare)
-
Impact of methodology on estrogens' effects on cerebral ischemia in rats : an updated meta-analysis
- 2014
-
Ingår i: BMC Neuroscience. - London : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1471-2202. ; 15
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Although most animal stroke studies have demonstrated potent neuroprotective effects of estrogens, there are a number of articles reporting the opposite. In 2009, we made the case that this dichotomy was related to administered estrogen dose. Several other suggestions for the discordant results have also been propagated, including the age of the experimental animals and the length of hypoestrogenicity prior to estrogen administration. These two suggestions have gained much popularity, probably because of their kinship with the window of opportunity hypothesis, which is commonly used to explain the analogous dichotomy among human studies. We were therefore encouraged to perform an updated meta-analysis, and to improve it by including all relevant variables in a large multiple regression model, where the impact of confounders could be controlled for.Results: The multiple regression model revealed an indisputable impact of estrogen administration mode on the effects of estrogens in ischemic stroke. Subcutaneous slow-release pellets differed from the injection and silastic capsule treatments in terms of impact of estrogens on ischemic stroke, showing that the first mentioned were more prone to render estrogens damaging. Neither the use of elderly animals nor the adoption of longer wash-out periods influenced estrogens' effects on experimental ischemic stroke in rats.Conclusions: We conclude that the discordant results regarding estrogens' effects in rat models of ischemic stroke are a consequence of differences in estrogen administration modes. These results are not only of importance for the ongoing debate regarding menopausal hormone therapy, but also have an important bearing on experimental stroke methodology and the apparent translational roadblock for suggested stroke interventions.
|
|
| 5. |
- Ingberg, Edvin, 1988-, et al.
(författare)
-
Effect of laser Doppler flowmetry and occlusion time on outcome variability and mortality in rat middle cerebral artery occlusion : inconclusive results
- 2018
-
Ingår i: BMC Neuroscience. - London : BioMed Central. - 1471-2202. ; 19:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Stroke is among the leading causes of death and disability. Although intense research efforts have provided promising treatment options in animals, most clinical trials in humans have failed and the therapeutic options are few. Several factors have been suggested to explain this translational difficulty, particularly concerning methodology and study design. Consistent infarcts and low mortality might be desirable in some, but not all, studies. Here, we aimed to investigate whether the use of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and the occlusion time (60 vs. 45 min) affected outcome variability and mortality in a rat stroke model. Eighty ovariectomized female Wistar rats were subjected to ischemic stroke using intraluminal filament middle cerebral artery occlusion with or without LDF and with occlusion times of 45 or 60 min. Outcome was evaluated by triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining of brain slices to measure infarct size and a modified sticky tape test.RESULTS: Neither LDF nor occlusion times of 45 versus 60 min significantly affected mortality, outcome variability or outcome severity.CONCLUSIONS: Due to the unexpectedly high mortality and variability the statistical power was very low and thus the results were inconclusive.
|
|
| 6. |
- Ingberg, Edvin, 1988-, et al.
(författare)
-
Elevated body swing test after focal cerebral ischemia in rodents : methodological considerations
- 2015
-
Ingår i: BMC Neuroscience. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2202. ; 16
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The elevated body swing test (EBST) is a behavioral test used to evaluate experimental stroke in rodents. The basic idea is that when the animal is suspended vertically by the tail, it will swing its head laterally to the left or right depending on lesion side. In a previous study from our lab using the EBST after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), rats swung contralateral to the infarct day 1 post-MCAo, but ipsilateral day 3 post-MCAo. This shift was unexpected and prompted us to perform the present study. First, the literature was systematically reviewed to elucidate whether a similar shift had been noticed before, and if consensus existed regarding swing direction. Secondly, an experiment was conducted to systematically investigate the suggested behavior. Eighty-three adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to MCAo or sham surgery and the EBST was performed up to 7 days after the lesion.Results: Both experimentally and through systematic literature review, the present study shows that the direction of biased swing activity in the EBST for rodents after cerebral ischemia can differ and even shift over time in some situations. The EBST curve for females was significantly different from that of males after the same occlusion time (p = 0.023).Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of adequate reporting of behavioral tests for lateralization and it is concluded that the EBST cannot be recommended as a test for motor asymmetry after MCAo in rats.
|
|
