Long-lasting neuronal apoptotic cell death in regions with severe ischemia after photothrombotic ring stroke in rats

Apoptotic and necrotic cell death may act in concert in focal cerebral ischemia. This study explored the temporal and spatial pattern of apoptosis and necrosis in a novel photothrombotic ring stroke model with or without spontaneous reperfusion. Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to a ring-shaped laser irradiation beam simultaneously with intravenous erythrosin B infusion. The presence and attributes of apoptosis and necrosis in the anatomically well-defined cortical region at risk and ring-lesion region were verified under light microscopy with TUNEL, Hoechst 33342, and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Cells exhibiting apoptotic morphology with chromatin condensation and apoptotic bodies and necrotic ghost appearance were observed. The occurrence of apoptosis and necrosis in the ischemic regions was confirmed by electron microscopy and gel electrophoresis, in which DNA isolated from the lesion area revealed both a ladder and a smear. Double staining with TUNEL and the cell markers NeuN, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and ED-1 revealed that the majority of apoptotic cells were of neuronal origin. Cells exhibiting pyknosis/eosinophilia, apoptosis, or ghost appearance were quantified by stereological means. In subregions with severe ischemia, the peak appearance of apoptotic cells started earlier, i.e., at 24 h, than the peak of necrotic cells, and the high concentration of the apoptotic cells remained as long as that of necrotic cells, i.e., until 72 h post-ischemia. The ratio of apoptotic to necrotic cells was approximately 1:2. Therefore, apoptosis may be an important contributor to neuronal cell death in brain regions with severely reduced blood flow after thromboembolic stroke.