title: A method for establishing the high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) model by acute hypobaric hypoxia in adult mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exposure to acute hypobaric hypoxia (AHH) during ascent to high altitudes (>3500 m) is one of the main causes of acute mountain sickness (AMS) and high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE). Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a model of HACE.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a model of HACE in mice using a decompression chamber with rapid ascent speed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into the control group and the AHH group. The AHH group was housed in a decompression chamber (at a velocity of 50 m/s within 5 min to 6000 m). Compared with the controls, brain water content was increased in the early stage (within 24 h) in the AHH group. After 72 h of exposure to AHH, there was a higher BBB permeability observed. In addition, the brain structure showed significant widening of the pericellular spaces and a dilatation of the cortical blood vessels after exposure to AHH, and some of the neurons appeared shrunken with darkly stained pyknotic nuclei, resulting in neuronal structural damage. Further, exposure to AHH also decreased cognitive function in the mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  At present, there are no simple and rapid mouse models to study this syndrome in terms of its genetic basis, gene polymorphisms and susceptibility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that AHH can increase BBB permeability and lead to cerebral edema in mice; thus, we provide an effective and stable model of HACE in mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Yanzhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Xuefeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Dahu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
authors.forename: Kuiwu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China; Co-innovation Center of Neuro-regeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, JS 226001, China. Electronic address: linglingzhu@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ling-ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain Protection and Plasticity, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China; Co-innovation Center of Neuro-regeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, JS 226001, China; Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, 10 Xitoutiao, You Anmen, Fengtai District, Beijing 100069, P.R. China. Electronic address: fanming@nic.bmi.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000150:complications*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000503:physiopathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Acute hypobaric hypoxia; Blood–brain barrier; Brain injury; Mice