Endothelial barrier antigen-immunoreactivity is conversely associated with blood-brain barrier dysfunction after embolic stroke in rats

Submitted: 25 May 2013
Accepted: 18 October 2013
Published: 18 December 2013
Abstract Views: 2729
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While the concept of the Neurovascular Unit (NVU) is increasingly recognized for exploring mechanisms of tissue damage in ischemic stroke, immunohistochemical analyses are of interest to specifically visualize constituents like the endothelium. Changes in immunoreactivity have also been discussed to reflect functional aspects, e.g., the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This study aimed to characterize the endothelial barrier antigen (EBA) as addressed by the antibody SMI-71 in a rat model of embolic stroke, considering FITC-albumin as BBB leakage marker and serum levels of BBB-associated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to explore its functional significance. Five and 25 h after ischemia onset, regions with decreased BBB integrity exhibited a reduction in number and area of EBA-immunopositive vessels, while the stained area per vessel was not affected. Surprisingly, EBA content of remaining vessels tended to be increased in areas of BBB dysfunction. Analyses addressing this interrelation resulted in a significant and inverse correlation between the vessels’ EBA content and degree of BBB permeability. In conclusion, these data provide evidence for a functional relationship between EBA-immunoreactivity and BBB dysfunction in experimental ischemic stroke. Further studies are required to explore the underlying mechanisms of altered EBA-immunoreactivity, which might help to identify novel neuroprotective strategies.

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J. Pelz, University of Leipzig
Department of Neurology
W. Härtig, University of Leipzig
Paul Flechsig Institute for Brain Research
C. Weise, University of Leipzig
Department of Neurology
C. Hobohm, University of Leipzig
Department of Neurology
D. Schneider, University of Leipzig
Department of Neurology
M. Krueger, University of Leipzig
Institute of Anatomy
J. Kacza, University of Leipzig
Institute of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
D. Michalski, University of Leipzig
Department of Neurology

How to Cite

Pelz, J., Härtig, W., Weise, C., Hobohm, C., Schneider, D., Krueger, M., Kacza, J., & Michalski, D. (2013). Endothelial barrier antigen-immunoreactivity is conversely associated with blood-brain barrier dysfunction after embolic stroke in rats. European Journal of Histochemistry, 57(4), e38. https://doi.org/10.4081/ejh.2013.e38