C57BL 6 STRAIN IS MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO CEREBRAL-ISCHEMIA FOLLOWING BILATERAL COMMON CAROTID OCCLUSION AMONG 7 MOUSE STRAINS - SELECTIVE NEURONAL DEATH IN THE MURINE TRANSIENT FOREBRAIN ISCHEMIA/

Rats and gerbils have been used widely to investigate the molecular me chanism of selective neuronal death following transient global ischemi a. Recently, the availability of transgenic mice has enabled us to exa mine the involvement of specific gene products in various pathophysiol ogical conditions. However, there has been only limited information ab out the experimental model of cerebral ischemia in mice, particularly in regard to selective neuronal death. We examined whether bilateral c arotid occlusion produced global forebrain ischemia in seven common mo use strains including C57BL/6, ICR, BALB/c, C3H, CBA, ddY and DBA/2, b ased on neurological signs, histological findings and cortical microci rculatory as well as India ink perfusion patterns. The C57BL/6 strain was found to be the most susceptible among seven strains. All C57BL/6 mice died within 6 h after permanent bilateral carotid occlusion. Afte r transient bilateral carotid occlusion for 20 min, more than 90% of C 57BL/6 mice showed typical neurological signs such as torsion of the n eck and rolling fits, and developed selective neuronal death in the hi ppocampus and caudoputamen. Hypothermia prevented the neuronal death. Visualization of brain vasculature by India ink perfusion indicated th at the susceptibility of the mice after bilateral carotid occlusion de pended mainly on the degree of anastomosis between carotid and basilar arteries. Our results showed the feasibility of investigating selecti ve neuronal death in transgenic mice with simple temporary occlusion o f both common carotid arteries, when those from the C57BL/6 strain or inbred transgenic mice from other strains with the C57BL/6 strain in a back-cross manner are used. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.