頸部リンパ節摘出による脳梗塞病態への減弱効果

抄録

Introduction: Reduced cerebral blood flow damages the brain tissue in ischemic stroke. Recently, some studies have been reported the involvement of peripheral immune cells in the stroke pathology. Whereas, the existence of the meningeal lymphatic vessels was confirmed in the brain, suggesting that the peripheral immune cells enter the brain through the cervical lymph nodes (CLNs).  In the present study, to elucidate a role of the CLNs in the stroke pathology, we evaluated the effects of surgical excision of the CLNs against the stroke.

Method: The transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) model mice were surgically prepared as ischemic cerebral stroke model by inserting a filament on male C57BL/6J mice at 8-9 weeks-old. Cervical lymphadenectomy (CLNE) was microscopically conducted immediately before tMCAO. Motor coordination was evaluated by beam test.

Results: Cerebroventricular injection of Evans blue stained the CLNs, confirming the direct connection between the CLNs and the brains. Motor coordination was impaired three days after tMCAO, and the dysfunction was suppressed by excision of the CLNs.

Conclusion: Motor function impaired in tMCAO model mice were improved by removing the CLNs, which suggests that CLNs are involved in the pathology of ischemic cerebral stroke including motor dysfunction.