Figure 5

Activated rt-PA (Art-PA) does not lead to a further increase in blood–brain barrier breakdown after cerebral ischemia. Rt-PA (1 mg/ml) was either injected directly in the dose of 10 mg/kg in 2 mice after MCAO (first four lanes, homogenates of the non-ischemic and ischemic hemisphere of each mouse) or incubated with a spontaneously-generated blood clot for 30 minutes under gentle shaking prior to injection in 2 mice (last four lanes). MMP-9 activity was assessed with gelatinase zymography. Bands were analyzed densitometrically.