Increased hemorrhagic transformation and altered infarct size and localization after experimental stroke in a rat model of type 2 diabetes
Adviye Ergul, Mostafa M Elgebaly, Mary-Louise Middlemore, Weiguo Li, Hazem Elewa, Jeffrey A Switzer, Christiana Hall, Anna Kozak and Susan C Fagan
Background
Interruption of flow through of cerebral blood vessels results in acute ischemic stroke. Subsequent breakdown of the blood brain barrier increases cerebral injury by the development of vasogenic edema and secondary hemorrhage known as hemorrhagic transformation (HT). Diabetes is a risk factor for stroke as well as poor outcome of stroke. The current study tested the hypothesis that diabetes-induced changes in the cerebral vasculature increase the risk of HT and augment ischemic injury.
Methods
Diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) or control rats underwent 3 hours of middle cerebral artery occlusion and 24 h reperfusion followed by evaluation of infarct size, hemorrhage and neurological outcome.
Results
Infarct size was significantly smaller in GK rats (8 +/- 4 vs 29+/- 5%, p
Conclusions
These findings provide evidence that there is cerebrovascular remodeling and potential neovascularization in diabetes. While, diabetes-induced remodeling appears to prevent infarct expansion, development of immature blood vessels increases the risk for HT and thereby exacerbates neurovascular damage due to cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in diabetes.
BMC Neurology 2007, 7:33.
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