Post-treatment with SR49059 improves outcomes following an intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke in mice

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating stroke subtype characterized by severe brain edema formation leading to cerebral blood flow compromise and parenchymal damage. Arginine vasopressin (AVP), a non-peptide antidiuretic hormone, has recently been implicated as a modulator of brain edema following injury. In this study, we investigated the effects of SR49059, a highly specific AVP V1a receptor antagonist, on brain injury outcomes following ICH, specifically assessing the ability of SR49059 in reducing brain edema and improving neurobehavioral deficits. Male CD1 mice (n = 35) were randomly assigned to the following groups: sham, ICH, ICH with SR49059 at 0.5 mg/kg, and ICH with SR49059 at 2 mg/kg. ICH was induced by using the collagenase injection model, and treatment was given 1 h after surgery. Post-assessment was conducted at 24 and 72 h after surgery, and included brain water content and neurobehavioral testing. The study found that SR49059 significantly reduced cerebral edema at 24 and 72 h post-ICH injury and improved neurobehavioral deficits at 72 h. Our study suggests that blockage of the AVP V1a receptor is a promising treatment target for improving ICH-induced brain injury. Further studies will be needed to confirm this relationship and determine future clinical direction.