Inhibition of Brain Swelling after Ischemia-Reperfusion by β-Adrenergic Antagonists: Correlation with Increased K+ and Decreased Ca2+ Concentrations in Extracellular Fluid

Infarct size and brain edema following ischemia/reperfusion are reduced by inhibitors of the Na+, K+, 2Cl-, and water cotransporter NKCC1 and by β1-adrenoceptor antagonists. NKCC1 is a secondary active transporter, mainly localized in astrocytes, driven by transmembrane Na+/K+ gradients generated by the Na+,K+-ATPase. The astrocytic Na+,K+-ATPase is stimulated by small increases in extracellular K+ concentration and by the β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol. Larger K+ increases, as occurring during ischemia, also stimulate NKCC1, creating cell swelling. This study showed no edema after 3 hr medial cerebral artery occlusion but pronounced edema after 8 hr reperfusion. The edema was abolished by inhibitors of specifically β1-adrenergic pathways, indicating failure of K+-mediated, but not β1-adrenoceptor-mediated, stimulation of Na+,K+-ATPase/NKCC1 transport during reoxygenation. Ninety percent reduction of extracellular Ca2+ concentration occurs in ischemia. Ca2+ omission abolished K+ uptake in normoxic cultures of astrocytes after addition of 5 mM KCl. A large decrease in ouabain potency on K+ uptake in cultured astrocytes was also demonstrated in Ca2+-depleted media, and endogenous ouabains are needed for astrocytic K+ uptake. Thus, among the ionic changes induced by ischemia, the decrease in extracellular Ca2+ causes failure of the high-K+-stimulated Na+,K+-ATPase/NKCC1 ion/water uptake, making β1-adrenergic activation the only stimulus and its inhibition effective against edema.