Application of sodium alginate microspheres in ischemic stroke modeling in miniature pigs

摘要

The miniature pig is an optimal animal model for studying nervous system disease because of its physiologic and pathologic features. However, the rete mirabile composed of arteries and veins at the skull base limits their application as a model of ischemic stroke by middle cerebral artery occlusion. The present study investigated the possibility of establishing an ischemic stroke model in the miniature pig by blocking the skull base retia with sodium alginate microspheres. Three Bama miniature pigs were used. Using the monitor of C-arm X-ray machine, sodium alginate microspheres (100-300 μm), a novel embolic material, were injected through the femoral artery, aortic arch, common carotid artery, ascending pharyngeal artery and the retia. Results were evaluated using carotid arteriography, MRI, behavior observation and histology. The unilateral rete mirabile was completely blocked, resulting in disturbance in blood supply to the basal ganglia, astasia of the right hind limb and salivation. MRI and hematoxylin-eosin staining showed an evident infarction focus in the basal ganglia. These findings indicate that sodium alginate microspheres are a suitable embolic material for blocking the skull base retia in miniature pigs to establish an ischemic stroke models. Research Highlights (1) Miniature pigs can survive for a long period of time, are cost-effective and controllable. Thus, they are regarded as excellent models for studying nervous system diseases. (2) The rete mirabile composed of arteries and veins at the skull base limits their application as an ischemic stroke model by middle cerebral artery occlusion. (3) Sodium alginate microspheres can occlude the skull base retia of miniature pigs to establish ischemic stroke models. (4) This method challenges the concept that the swine cannot be used to establish models of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases.