A novel model of light-induced middle cerebral artery occlusion and recanalization in mice

Year: 2025

Authors: Conti E., Minetti A., Turrini L., Carlini N., Sarti C., Gori A.M., Sticchi E., Giusti B., Spalletti C., Baldereschi M., Mascaro A.L.A., Pavone F.S.

Autors Affiliation: CNR, Natl Inst Opt, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; European Lab Nonlinear Spect LENS, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy; CNR, Neurosci Inst, Pisa, Italy; Univ Florence, Neurofarba Dept, Florence, Italy; Univ Florence, Dept Expt & Clin Med, Florence, Italy; Univ Florence, Dept Phys & Astron, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.

Abstract: Ischemic stroke caused by the abrupt interruption of blood flow is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Despite expanding reperfusion treatment indications, a significant proportion of patients (54.5%) experiences poor outcomes, regardless of successful recanalization, emphasizing the need for clinically relevant preclinical stroke models to better understand the mechanisms associated with effective reperfusion. Here, we develop and characterize a novel mouse model of light-induced recanalization following the photothrombotic occlusion of the distal branch of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). The recanalization provides a meaningful reduction of the infarct volume compared to non-recanalized mice. Moreover, the generalized motor impairment is less severe, as measured by the Neuro Deficit score. Ex vivo investigation highlights that light-mediated recanalization mitigates astrocyte complexity in the periinfarct cortex of recanalized mice. Moreover, light-induced recanalization reduces cerebral edema occurrence. Finally, the investigation of circulating biomarkers shows that our model of occlusion and recanalization of the MCA recapitulates the neuroinflammatory cascade of the acute phase of ischemic stroke.

Journal/Review: COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY

Volume: 8 (1)      Pages from: 1117-1  to: 1117-14

More Information: Figures a, , and incorporate illustrations generated with BioRender.com. This research was funded by the Regione Toscana-Bando Ricerca Salute 2018, Grant number 20RSVP for the project \u201CNIMBLE: Integrating novel NeuroImaging Measurements and circulating Biomarkers for the prediction of secondary injury foLlowing strokE: from bench to bedside\u201D, by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, Grant number SIME 2018/1179 id#24055 for the project \u201CSTROKELABED Ictus ischemico acuto: dal laboratorio al letto del malato. Studio di biomarcatori ematici e di neuroimaging come predittori di edema cerebrale, estensione della lesione ischemica e dell\u2019outcome funzionale\u201D, by European Union\u2019s NextGenerationEU Programme with the I-PHOQS Infrastructure [IR0000016, ID D2B8D520, CUP B53C22001750006] \u201CIntegrated infrastructure initiative in Photonic and Quantum Sciences\u201D, and the Italian Ministry for University and Research in the framework of the Advanced Light Microscopy Italian Node of Euro-Bioimaging
KeyWords: Reperfusion Injury; Ischemic-stroke; Animal-models; Biomarkers; Dynamics
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-08398-w