Abstract:

Objective To build a rabbit focal cerebral infarction model by using novel dry blood clots and discuss the correlation of different clot weights with infarction location and degree. Methods Rabbit blood was drawn and made into dry blood clots after coagulation, drying, grinding, and filtering. Rabbits in infarction groups received different clot weights (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, 12.5, 15.0, and 17.5 mg) through right internal carotid artery (ICA), while rabbits in the control group received equivalent amount of normal saline. Neurological function was assessed 2 and 72 h after infarction. The level of brain injury factor S100B in plasma was measured before and 72 h after infarction. Rabbits were sacrificed 72 h after infarction and brain tissues were harvested for the pathological examination. Results Dry blood clots with the uniform size (100-150 μm in diameter) were distributed evenly and hard to conglobate and dissolve after normal saline dilution. The infarction rate was 90.5%. The plasma S100B level in infarction groups 72 h after infarction was significantly increased as compared with that before infarction and in the control group. The brain water content in infarction groups was higher than that in the control group. The mortality, neurological function score, and cerebral infarction volume ratio in infarction groups were positively correlated to clot weight. TTC staining brain slices showed that infarction foci in about 80% animals of infarction groups (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mg) located in right cerebral cortex, while infarction foci occurred in bilateral cerebral cortexes in animals of infarction groups (10.0, 12.5, and 15.0 mg). Conclusion The rabbit cerebral infarction model has been successfully built by using dry blood clots. The method is simple with high success rate. Unilateral or bilateral cerebral infarction can be simulated by administration of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 mg or 10.0, 12.5, 15.0 mg blood clots. This study provides a different pre-clinical model for the investigation and treatment of cerebral infarction.

Key words: cerebral infarction, dry blood clots, rabbit