Brain cell death following ischemia and reperfusion: a proposed biochemical sequence.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B C White.
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A time course of tissue ionic changes, and their relation to ultrastructural findings during reperfusion following a 15-min global ischemic brain insult was studied in a dog model. Parietal cortex was analyzed for Ca, Na, K, Mg and Fe in controls and after 10 min, 2, 4, and 8 h of reperfusion. After 8 h of reperfusion, the mean values (mumol/g tissue wet wt.) for Ca (control = 1.43, 8 h = 2.76) and Na (control 60.4, 8 h = 107.4) doubled and K (control = 90.4, 8 h = 48.5) decreased to half that of the control. Ultrastructural studies and subcellular localization of calcium in parietal cortex of in situ-fixed brains after 8 h showed cortical neurons with clumping of nuclear chromatin, dilatation of endoplasmic reticulum and disruption of plasma membranes. Large amounts of electron-dense precipitates of calcium were present within dilated astrocytic processes, synaptic vesicles, cytoplasm of edematous dendrites and mitochondria. Cortical neurons from postischemic dogs without reperfusion showed only slight chromatin clumping and edema of astrocytic processes, but no calcium accumulation. The large ionic shifts noted between 4 and 8 h of reperfusion, indicate a progressive inability of the cells to maintain normal transmembrane gradients of these ions and may reflect a membrane destructive process, as demonstrated ultrastructurally at 8 h. Enhanced calcium entry into the neuron during reperfusion appears to be a part of the cytotoxic mechanism leading to neuronal necrosis.
Lipid peroxidation is thought to be a major contributing factor in neurological injury following cardiac arrest. Because iron availability is a prerequisite for lipid peroxidation, this experiment was designed to examine the natural time course of iron release, lipid peroxidation, and cerebral polyunsaturated fatty acid content following a 15-minute cardiac arrest in dogs. Large mongrel dogs were anesthetized with ketamine and halothane and divided into three groups of five each. In two groups, cardiac arrest was induced with KCl. After 15 minutes of cardiac arrest, the dogs were resuscitated by five minutes of internal cardiac massage, epinephrine, bicarbonate, and internal defibrillation. All ten dogs were resuscitated and supported by a standard intensive care protocol until tissue harvest. A 3-g portion of parietal cerebral cortex was obtained from the nonischemic dogs (n = 5), or at two hours (n = 5), or eight hours (n = 5) after resuscitation. Total tissue iron was measured by an atomic emission spectrometer; low molecular weight species (LMWS) iron by the o-phenanthroline test on an ultrafiltered sample; and lipid peroxidation by both the thiobarbituric acid test (TBARS) and determination of the tissue content of lipid double bonds, calculated by first fractionating the lipids by gas-liquid chromatography and then measuring the double bonds in each fraction by spectrometry and summing the results. Univariate ANOVA demonstrated all variables except total tissue iron to have significance at P less than .02. At two hours of reperfusion, LMWS iron and TBARS were significantly elevated above nonischemic control levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Since its introduction in 1960, CPR has evolved into a complex program involving not only the medical community but also the lay public. Currently, program activities include instruction of the lay public in basic life support techniques, development and deployment of emergency medical systems, recommendations for drug protocols for advanced cardiac life support and, most recently, introduction of new methods for tissue protection following resuscitation. After 25 years of experience, we are beginning to understand the pathophysiology of tissue ischemia during cardiac arrest and the interventions required to improve chances of survival and quality of life of the cardiac arrest victim. Recent data in the literature suggest that modification of certain interventions in the resuscitation program may be needed. The poor neurologic outcomes with prolonged standard CPR show that it is not protective after 4 to 6 minutes of cardiac arrest. Modifications to this technique, including SVC-CPR or IAC-CPR, have not been shown to increase resuscitability or hospital discharge rates. Human studies of open-chest cardiac massage are needed to evaluate this option. Defibrillation is the definitive treatment for ventricular fibrillation. Greater emphasis should be placed on the earliest possible delivery of this treatment modality. Computerized defibrillators may provide greater and earlier access to defibrillation in the homes of patients at high risk of ventricular fibrillation. They may also be applicable by untrained public service personnel (police and firemen), individuals in geographically inaccessible areas (aircraft), or emergency medical technicians in rural areas where skill retention is a significant problem. Calcium has no proved benefit in cardiac resuscitation. There is biochemical evidence that it may be harmful in brain resuscitation. Its use in resuscitation should be discontinued. The dose of epinephrine currently advocated in the ACLS protocols may be inadequate to increase aortic diastolic pressure and coronary and cerebral perfusion pressures and thus aid resuscitation. Animal studies indicate that substantial increases in the current dosage are needed to achieve these effects. Human studies are needed to verify these results. A role for calcium antagonists in the treatment of postarrest encephalopathy has been demonstrated in animals and is currently undergoing clinical trials. Iron-dependent lipid peroxidative cell membrane injury may be important in the pathogenesis of postarrest encephalopathy. Animal studies suggest that the iron chelator deferoxamine may have a significant therapeutic role in the treatment of postarrest encephalopathy.
Ischemic tissue injury has been proposed to be in part due to oxygen-radical-mediated lipid peroxidation. In vitro studies of such reactions show that they are thermodynamically unfavorable unless catalyzed by transitional metals such as iron in low molecular weight species (LMWS iron), ie, the iron-ADP complex. This study tests for iron delocalization into a LMWS pool during myocardial ischemia and for increased tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation. Anesthesia was induced in eight dogs (weighing 20 to 30 kg) with ketamine and maintained by ventilation with 1% halothane. The left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated in four animals, and the circumflex coronary artery was ligated in the other four. Two hours after ligation, the animals were sacrificed by a central venous injection of KCl. Tissue samples were immediately taken from the ischemic zone and from the corresponding nonischemic zone. MDA was determined by the thiobarbituric acid assay. LMWS iron was determined on a tissue ultrafiltrate by the o-phenanthroline assay. Statistical data analysis used the matched-pair two-tailed t test. LMWS iron was 18.3 nM/100 mg in ischemic tissue versus 13.1 nM/100 mg in nonischemic tissue (t = 4.14; P less than .01). MDA was 0.91 nM/100 mg in ischemic tissue versus 0.83 nM/100 mg in nonischemic tissue (t = 7.27; P less than .005). We conclude that there is a significant increase in tissue LMWS iron and in MDA after two hours of regional myocardial ischemia. This iron might be the catalyst for maturation of tissue injury during reperfusion as observed by other investigators.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Novel tastes preceded a range of caffeine doses (10-80 mg/kg) in a taste aversion training trial. One week later rats which had doses of 30 mg or higher showed strong aversions as measured by a single bottle consumption test. The 10 and 20 mg dose produced the most hyperactivity and apparently enhanced intake of the taste paired with caffeine. During the training trial, rats receiving the 80 mg dose exhibited copious gapes and chin-rubs, mimetic responses to noxious tastes. Gapes also occurred in these subjects during the aversion test. Consumption was more sensitive than mimetic responding as a measure of the aversive effects of caffeine. Only the 80 mg dose produced neophobia. Tests with isotonic injections indicated that tonicity was not the source of the aversions.
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Assays for brain tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and low molecular weight chelated (LMWC) iron were used to examine samples of the cerebral cortex obtained from dogs 2 h after resuscitation from a 15-min cardiac arrest. The effect of post-resuscitation treatment with lidoflazine and/or desferrioxamine was similarly examined. Non-ischemic brain samples had LMWC iron levels (in nmol/100 mg tissue) of 12.32 + 2.60 and MDA levels (in nmol/100 mg tissue) of 8.46 + 1.35. Animals subjected to cardiac arrest and resuscitation and standard intensive care (SIC) had LMWC iron levels of 37.04 + 4.58 (p less than .01 against non-ischemic controls) and MDA levels of 12.24 + 1.9 (p less than .05 against non-ischemic controls). All treatment interventions significantly reduced the LMWC iron (p less than .05), but only treatment with desferrioxamine alone significantly reduced MDA (p less than .05), although a trend toward reduction of the MDA was also evident in animals treated with both desferrioxamine and lidoflazine. LMWC iron levels are increased in the post-ischemic brain, and this increase may be related to lipid peroxidation in the brain following resuscitation from cardiac arrest. These changes are probably pathologic and are amenable to pharmacologic intervention.
Cell damage initiated during ischemia matures during reperfusion. Mechanisms involved during reperfusion include the effects of arachidonic acid and its oxidative products prostaglandins and leukotrienes, reperfusion tissue calcium overloading, and damage to membranes by lipid peroxidation. Lipid peroxidation occurs by oxygen radical mechanisms that require a metal with more than one ionic state (transitional metal) for catalysis. We have shown that cellular iron is delocalized from the large molecules where it is normally stored to smaller chemical species during postischemic reperfusion. Postischemic lipid peroxidation is inhibited by the iron chelator deferoxamine. Intervention in the reperfusion injury of membranes by chelation of transitional metals is a new and promising therapeutic possibility for protection of the heart and brain.
Clinical techniques for artificial perfusion have not previously been examined directly for their effects on brain high-energy metabolism. Our study involved 24 large mongrel dogs that were anesthetized, instrumented for central venous intravenous access, and subjected to craniotomy to expose the dura and underlying parietal cortex. The animals were divided into the following six experimental groups of four animals each: nonischemic controls; 15-minute cardiac arrest without resuscitation; 45-minute cardiac arrest without resuscitation; 15-minute cardiac arrest plus 30 minutes resuscitation with conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); 15-minute cardiac arrest plus 30 minutes resuscitation with interposed abdominal compression (IAC) CPR; and 15-minute cardiac arrest plus 30 minutes resuscitation with internal cardiac massage. Cardiac arrest was induced by central venous injection of KCl 0.6 mEq/kg, and it was confirmed by continuous ECG monitoring. The three active resuscitation models included administration of NaHCO3 and epinephrine, but no attempt was made to restart the heart by defibrillation during resuscitation. At the indicated time in each group, a 4- to 5-g sample of brain was removed through the craniotomy, immediately cooled to 0 C and processed for isolation of mitochondria. The mitochondria were studied for their content of superoxide dismutase and for quantitative oxygen consumption with glutamate/malate substrate during resting and ADP-stimulated respiration. Our results show a significant drop in brain mitochondrial superoxide dismutase activity during the first 15 minutes of cardiac arrest. There is minimal injury to brain mitochondrial oxygen consumption during both 15 and 45 minutes of complete ischemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Caffeine pretreatment was studied for its effects on d-amphetamine-induced locomotor activity. Caffeine (30 mg/kg) was given either simultaneously with or at one of several intervals (0.5, 1.5, 4.5, 12, and 13.5 hours) before d-amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg). Enhancement of d-amphetamine activity occurred with simultaneous and 30 min caffeine pretreatment. However, when given 12 or 13.5 hours before d-amphetamine, caffeine diminished the activity, measured in stabilimeter cages. Several doses of caffeine (7.5, 15, 30, and 60 mg/kg) were given in multiple treatments ending 12 hours before d-amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg) to determine the effective doses for attenuation of d-amphetamine-induced activity. Only 30 and 60 mg caffeine doses reduced d-amphetamine activity while also interfering with body weight gain.
Caffeine-amphetamine interactions were studied to determine whether attenuation of amphetamine-induced activity by caffeine pretreatment (30 mg/kg) is the result of increased or decreased sensitivity to amphetamine. Caffeine pretreatment attenuated amphetamine activity in the rats without producing a horizontal shift in the dose-response curve. Results support a reduction in sensitivity to amphetamine. A cross-tolerance design revealed an asymmetrical interaction between caffeine and amphetamine. Multiple caffeine treatments (30 mg/kg) produced tolerance and attenuation of subsequent amphetamine activity (1.5 mg/kg). Amphetamine did not produce tolerance or affect subsequent caffeine-induced activity.
Perfusion of the cerebral cortex (rCCBF) during resuscitation from cardiac arrest was studied using 24 large dogs and three different resuscitation models. Conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was compared with interposed abdominal compression CPR (IAC-CPR) and with IAC-CPR together with infusion of epinephrine. Conventional CPR produced a mean rCCBF of only 11% (0.057 +/- 0.07 ml/min/g) normal perfusion (0.54 +/- 0.14 ml/min/g). Even without epinephrine, IAC-CPR produced mean rCCBF equal to 51% (0.27 +/- 0.17 ml/min/g) of normal. With epinephrine, IAC-CPR produced rCCBF (0.93 +/- 0.49 ml/min/g) statistically indistinguishable from normal. Both models of IAC-CPR were significantly superior to conventional CPR in perfusion of the cerebral cortex.
The understanding of the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemic anoxia depends on elucidation of cellular neuronal changes during this event and under conditions of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Current knowledge of these metabolic developments is reviewed, and a hypothesis of the role of iron in this situation is presented.
Regional cerebral cortical blood flow (rCCBF) in 15 large dogs was determined using the double thermistor dilution method during standard closed-chest massage (CCM), CCM with an epinephrine infusion at 30 micrograms/kg/min (CCM + Epi), and open-chest cardiac massage (OCCM). As a percentage of prearrest flow values, the rCCBF was 9.8% with CCM, 35% with CCM + Epi, and 156% with OCCM. The rCCBF was reduced significantly with CCM (P less than .005) and CCM + Epi (P less than .01). OCCM generated flows indistinguishable from prearrest values. The use of high-dose epinephrine significantly increased the rCCBF during CCM. The implications for intact neurologic resuscitation of these reductions in rCCBF with CCM are important.
Perfusion of the cerebral cortex during closed chest CPR in dogs, generating systolic pressures of 60 to 70 mmHg, is only 10% of pre-arrest blood flow. In contrast, internal cardiac massage produces normal cortical perfusion rates. Following a 20-min perfusion arrest, during pressure controlled reperfusion, cortical flow rates decay to less than 20% normal after 90 min of reperfusion. This appears to be due to increasing cerebral vascular resistance, and is not due to rising intracranial pressure. The post-arrest cortical hypoperfusion syndrome is prolonged with cortical flow remaining below 20% normal up to 18 hr post arrest. The use of a variety of calcium antagonists, including flunarizine, lidoflazine, verapamil, and Mg2+, immediately post-resuscitation maintains cerebral vascular resistance and cortical perfusion at normal levels. A prospective blind trial of the calcium antagonist lidoflazine following a 15-min cardiac arrest in dogs and resuscitation by internal massage, demonstrates amelioration of neurologic deficit in the early postresuscitation period.
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A mathematical model for tissue thermodilution was developed to study cerebral cortical perfusion before and after controlled perfusion arrest. Cerebral cortical perfusion rates are readily determined by this method. A thermistor was introduced into the subdural space and secured in direct contact with the frontal cortex in 12 dogs on ketamine and gallamine anesthesia. A 22-gauge angiocath was placed in the right superior thyroid artery and directed into the carotid artery on the same side as the thermistor. The dogs were placed on cardiac bypass using a circuit from the right atrium to the pulmonary artery and a second circuit from the left ventricular apex to the left femoral artery. Arterial pressure, central venous pressure (CVP), intracranial pressure (ICP), and left atrial pressure (LAP) were monitored directly. A heat exchanger was used to maintain a constant blood temperature of 37 C in the output of the left side bypass circuit. Thermal flow curves were generated in the cerebral cortex by injecting 2 to 4 cc of cold saline into the common carotid artery through the injection catheter. Preliminary evaluation of this flow method in comparison to radioactive microspheres indicates that this method can be used in a reliable and reproducible fashion to determine cerebral cortical blood flow.