A gelatin in situ-overlay technique localizes brain matrix metalloproteinase activity in experimental focal cerebral ischemia

To determine the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), especially MMP-2 and MMP-9, which play an important role in ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage, we adapted a simple and rapid method for localizing gelatinase activity to a gelatin film in situ-overlay technique previously used in cancer research. Tem micrometer cryosections of rat brain from controls and animals subjected to 3 h of ischemia and 48 h of reperfusion (suture model for transient cerebral ischemia) were used. After thawing, a gelatin film with a polyester base was put on the slide, incubated for 24 h at 37 degreesC, stained with Ponceau S, and then discolored in bi-distilled water. Non-staining areas on the film corresponded to lysis zones, caused by activated MMPs. This was proven by MMP incubation at various concentrations on the plain gelatin film and pretreatment with EDTA (an MMP inhibitor), which prevents lysis zones in normal and ischemic brains. As confirmatory tests, SDS-PAGE zymography was used to define MMP activity, and also MMP-2 immunohistochemistry to detect the possibly cellular origin of MMPs. Normal rat brain exhibited a low background activity, which was visible as a light halo-like lysis zone over and around the brain. Areas in normal brain with medium MMP activity were within the white matter (corpus callosum, anterior commissure, and cerebellum). Ischemic brain exhibited high activity lysis zones within the infarcted area (detected by microtubuli associated protein-2 staining). These zones consisted of microscopically small lysis holes with a diameter of about 10-20 mum. Immunohistochemistry showed that especially microvessels expressed MMP antigen. SDS-PAGE zymography differentiated between a high level of activated MMPs in the ischemic area and a low level in the non-ischemic basal ganglia. The gelatin film in situ-overlay technique is able to localize MMP activity in ischemic rat brain tissue on a microscopic level. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.