BRAIN INFARCTION IS NOT REDUCED IN SOD-1 TRANSGENIC MICE AFTER A PERMANENT FOCAL CEREBRAL-ISCHEMIA

USING a mouse model with intraluminal blockade of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) which produced both cortical and striatal infarction, the effect that superoxide radicals have on cerebral infarction, local ce rebral blood flow, and neurological deficits after 24 h of permanent f ocal cerebral ischemia in transgenic mice (Tg) overexpressing human Cu Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) was examined. There were no difference s between SOD-1 Tg mice and non-Tg littermates observed in the infarct areas of brain slices, the infarct volume, the local cerebral blood f low, or the neurological deficits. These data suggest that pre-existin g high levels of antioxidant enzyme failed to provide neuronal protect ion against permanent focal cerebral ischemia.