title: Effects of alteplase, a thrombolytic agent, in a rat photothrombotic middle cerebral artery occlusion model.
abstract: In this study, we examined the effects of alteplase, a recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), in a simple and reproducible rat middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion model induced by photoillumination with 12 mg/kg of rose bengal. A clinically equivalent dose of alteplase (3 mg/kg), which was administered just after thrombotic occlusion of the MCA, significantly reopened the thrombotic MCA occlusion in 16 of 23 animals (69.6%) when compared with vehicle-treated animals (8 of 22 animals, 36.4%). In addition, alteplase significantly reduced cerebral damage and improved neurological deficits. Although it has been reported that t-PA possesses neurotoxicity, the present findings suggest that alteplase was effective in a rat acute stroke model due to reopening of thrombotic MCA occlusion. This new model is very useful for investigating the efficacy of thrombolytic agents in stroke research, providing a condition similar to the clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Umemura
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Higo
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yuki
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D020521:Stroke / Q000517:prevention & control; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator