Anatomical location of arterial and venous lines significantly affects motor performance in rats

Catheterization of Ventral Caudal Artery in Rats: A Modified Technique for Repeatable Angiography and Intervention

BACKGROUND

The use of digital silhouette angiography (DSA) has been restricted due to lack of a technique that allows for repeated intra-arterial inspections over a prolonged period. Current studies are focused on the arteries that can be cannulated multiple times. We intended to develop and test a technique that would enable repeated performance of various catheterizations and transcatheter operations for a prolonged period, at the same site, with fewer postsurgical complications.

METHODS

Thirty rats were randomly divided into five groups. Ventral caudal artery cannulation was performed via the transtail approach after grouping for subsequent experiments. Histological staining and scanning electron microscopy were used to assess endothelial injuries.

RESULTS

The rats survived post catheterization of ventral caudal artery and establishment of animal models. The average time of ventral caudal artery cannulation was significantly shorter than that of the femoral (p < 0.01) and common carotid arteries (p < 0.01). In rats, the transtail artery technique effectively allowed selective arterial catheterization and angiography. Histological staining and scanning electron microscopy of the abdominal aorta revealed disruption of the intima and denuded wavy endothelial surface.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe a novel method for artery sheath catheterization through the ventral caudal artery in rats; it may be possible to perform serial DSA studies and interventional operations with a single sheath channel in rats over a prolonged period. We believe that this approach will improve the utility of rats as models of human diseases and enable the broader use of rodent models for endovascular therapy research.

Usefulness and feasibility of repeated tail artery cannulations in the rat

Rat ventral caudal artery (VCA, tail artery) cannulation for blood pressure monitoring and blood sampling is essential for maintaining consistent procedures in rat models. Double or triple insults are sometimes necessary, but repeated VCA cannulations have not been compared with repeated femoral artery cannulations. In addition, the collateral system for resistance to ischemia in the rat tail is unclear. Our present study revealed that repeated VCA cannulations on different days was a better technique than repeated femoral artery cannulations in terms of surgical time, postsurgical weight loss and ischemic complications. Furthermore, the lateral caudal arteries and the segmental anastomosing vessels were important for resistance to ischemic complications after VCA occlusion.

Transtail Artery Access in Rats: A New Technique for Repeatable Selective Angiography

Transtail artery approach successfully enables selective arterial catheterization and angiography in the rat. This technique is effective and repeatable. In addition to its utility in imaging, it may also have a wide range of applications in transcatheter therapy and experimental cerebral stroke models.

Severe respiratory changes at end stage in a FUS-induced disease state in adult rats

Background

Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is an RNA-binding protein associated with the neurodegenerative diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. ALS manifests in patients as a progressive paralysis which leads to respiratory dysfunction and failure, the primary cause of death in ALS. We expressed human FUS in rats to determine if FUS would induce ALS relevant respiratory changes to serve as an early stage disease indicator. The FUS expression was initiated in adult rats by way of an intravenously administered adeno-associated virus vector serotype 9 (AAV9) providing an adult onset model.

Results

The rats developed progressive motor impairments observed as early as 2–3 weeks post gene transfer. Respiratory abnormalities manifested 4–7 weeks post gene transfer including increased respiratory frequency and decreased tidal volume. Rats with breathing abnormalities also had arterial blood acidosis. Similar detailed plethysmographic changes were found in adult rats injected with AAV9 TDP-43. FUS gene transfer to adult rats yielded a consistent pre-clinical model with relevant motor paralysis in the early to middle stages and respiratory dysfunction at the end stage. Both FUS and TDP-43 yielded a similar consistent disease state.

Conclusions

This modeling method yields disease relevant motor and respiratory changes in adult rats. The reproducibility of the data supports the use of this method to study other disease related genes and their combinations as well as a platform for disease modifying interventional strategies.