Effect of recombinant osteopontin on cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats

Abstract

Background: Osteopontin (OPN), a pleiotropic extracellular matrix glycoprotein, has been reported to have neuroprotective effects against early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The aim of this study is to examine if osteopontin prevents cerebral vasospasm after SAH in rats. Method: The endovascular perforation model of SAH was produced, and 62 rats were randomly assigned to sham + vehicle, SAH + vehicle, and SAH+ r-OPN (0.1 μg) groups. Cerebral vasospasm was evaluated by India ink angiography at 24 and 72 h after SAH, as well as neurobehavioral tests. Findings: Significant vasospasm and neurological impairments occurred over the observed period after SAH. r-OPN significantly prevented vasospasm in the left middle cerebral artery at 24 h and improved neurological impairments at 48 h after SAH. In other time points studied, r-OPN had a tendency toward improving both vasospasm and neurological scores, but the difference was not significant. Conclusions: This study shows that r-OPN has anti-vasospastic effects against cerebral vasospasm after SAH. © Springer-Verlag/Wien 2011.