Scientists from the University of California discovered that bleeding in the brain may occur not due to damage to blood vessels, but due to improper interaction of special blood cells with immune cells. Research results published at BMC (BioMed Central).
Cerebral hemorrhage or hemorrhagic stroke is a pathological condition in which blood spontaneously flows into the cranial cavity (without head trauma). Although the disease is much less common than ischemic stroke, its mortality rate is quite high.
It is believed that the cause of hemorrhagic stroke is damage to blood vessels in the brain. However, a study conducted by American scientists revealed that this was not the case. In fact, cerebral hemorrhage occurs due to red blood cells not working properly. These are red blood cells that carry hemoglobin and are responsible for the metabolic processes of tissues and organs.
Scientists exposed red blood cells to tert-butyl hydroperoxide, a substance that causes oxidative stress. The cells were then labeled using fluorescent imaging techniques and injected into laboratory mice. Thanks to fluorescent tags, scientists were able to monitor the activity of red blood cells in the walls of blood vessels in the rodents’ brains.
It turned out that the “jamming” of red blood cells in the capillaries triggers the process of endothelial erythrophagocytosis. This is the absorption and destruction of red blood cells by macrophages – special immune cells. Scientists have discovered that too much interaction between red blood cells and macrophages can trigger brain bleeding, even if the vessel walls have not been previously damaged.
Further research is needed to further investigate the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Scientists hope their discoveries will help develop new methods of treating vascular diseases, including stroke.
It was before to create A way to reduce the risk of stroke caused by arrhythmia by 37%.