title: Circulating antibody against tumor necrosis factor-alpha protects rat brain from reperfusion injury.
abstract: The role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) in brain injury is controversial. We studied the effect of anti-TNF-alpha antibody in a rat model of reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion. During focal ischemia and early reperfusion, TNF-alpha was rapidly and transiently released into circulation. Pretreatment with intravenous anti-TNF-alpha antibody reduced cortical (71%, P < 0.015) and subcortical (58%, P < 0.007) injury, enhanced the cerebral blood flow during reperfusion, and improved the neurologic outcome. This further supports the contention that TNF-alpha is a deleterious cytokine in stroke, whereas circulating antibody against TNF-alpha may protect brain from reperfusion injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lavine
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Zlokovic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha