[Animal modeling] - Preparation of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury rat model

  Objective: To simulate the process of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury at high altitude in a simulated warehouse at low altitude environment, and to prepare rat models of high altitude brain injury at different altitudes.

  Methods: Thirty two 10 day old SD newborn rats were randomly divided into four groups: group A (control group) and three experimental groups: group B (2000 m group), group C (4000 m group) and group D (6000 m group). The rats in the control group were raised in a barrier environment. The rats in the experimental group were placed in a simulated warehouse under a high altitude and low pressure environment and exercised to make a neonatal hypoxic-ischemic model of high altitude brain. The exercise mode was to swim for 60 min/d in the swimming pool in the cabin, and the living time in the simulated warehouse under a high altitude and low pressure environment should not be less than 20 hours per day. The rats in each group were scored with Zea Longa 5-point scoring system on the 3rd, 7th, 11th and 15th day respectively, and venous blood was collected on the 15th day, and the morphology of red blood cells was observed under scanning electron microscope. Brain tissues were taken for HE staining and TTC staining after being killed in each group.

  Results: (1) Neurological score: Compared with the control group, the behavioral score of group B, C and D in the experimental group was significantly different (P<0.05), and the difference between group D and the control group was very significant (P<0.01). (2) The HE staining results showed that compared with the control group, the experimental group rats had inflammatory cell infiltration, and the degree of inflammatory cell infiltration was positively correlated with the altitude. (3) TTC staining showed that cerebral cortex ischemia was obvious in rats at high altitude. (4) Under the electron microscope, the morphology of red blood cells showed that the experimental group B had a cap like structure; Group C was irregular; Group D was serrated.

  Conclusion: In this study, the model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) was made by using the simulated warehouse in the low pressure environment at high altitude combined with the simulated exercise environment at high altitude. The model is stable and reliable, which is more consistent with the pathogenesis of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury than other methods, and is close to clinical practice, and can be used for related research.