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Immune Cells Invade the Collateral Circulation during Human Stroke: Prospective Replication and Extension
Marc Strinitz1, Mirko Pham1, Alexander G März1
1Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|September 10, 2021
Summary
Immune cells, particularly leukocytes and neutrophils, invade the brain early in large-vessel-occlusion (LVO) stroke, impacting blood flow and infarct size. This inflammatory response is reliably observable in stroke patients.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- The local cerebral immune response in acute large-vessel-occlusion (LVO) stroke is not well understood.
- Reproducibility of observing immune cell behavior within the occluded vasculature is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and characteristics of immune cells within the occluded cerebral vasculature in LVO stroke patients.
- To determine if the cerebral immune response can be reliably observed during mechanical thrombectomy.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 58 LVO stroke patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy.
- Collection of cerebral blood samples from occluded arteries and systemic control samples.
- Standardized protocols for sample collection, processing, and laboratory analysis.
Main Results:
- Leukocyte counts were significantly higher in the occluded cerebral vasculature compared to systemic controls (+9.6%).
- Neutrophil counts were the primary driver of this increase (+12.1%).
- Leukocyte influx correlated with reduced collateral flow and greater infarct extent.
Conclusions:
- Leukocytes, especially neutrophils, invade the occluded cerebral territory early in LVO stroke via collateral pathways.
- This early inflammatory response impacts cerebral hemodynamics and tissue integrity.
- Immune cells can be reliably harvested from the occluded cerebral vasculature to study stroke-related inflammation.
