Effect of mild hypothermia on blood brain barrier disruption induced by oleic acid in rats

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is essential for the normal function of the central nervous system. The pathological conditions induced by brain diseases including cerebral ischemia result in the alteration of BBB integrity. This alteration of BBB is relieved by mild hypothermia that has been regarded as an effective therapy for brain injury. Experimental fat embolism by intra-arterial administration of fatty acid induces reversible dysfunction of BBB and is considered as a beneficial method for the research on BBB disruption. However, the implication of hypothermia on the fatty acid-induced BBB disruption is not clear yet. In this study, we aim to investigate the effect of mild hypothermia on BBB disruption by comparing the changes of brain inflammation, free radical production, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) caused by cerebral fatty acid infusion between normothermic (37°C) and hypothermic (33°C) groups. Oleic acid infusion into the carotid artery induced the increase of BBB permeability, which was inhibited by mild hypothermia. Neutrophils were infiltrated and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression was increased in the vascular structures in the affected brain tissue of normothermic rats at 24 hrs following oleic acid administration. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitro-tyrosine immunoreactivities were also observed in the normothermic group. The expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, 3, and 13 were upregulated predominantly in the oleic acid-treated brain of the normothermic rats. In mild hypothermic condition, neutrophil infiltration and ICAM-1 expression were attenuated, whereas the inductions of iNOS, nitrotyrosine and MMPs except MMP3 were not affected. Therefore, we suggest that mild hypothermia contributes to the protective effect on oleic acid-induced BBB damage via reducing neutrophil infiltration and brain inflammation.