High-temperature requirement protein A2 (HtrA2): A promising biomarker to predict the ischemia-reperfusion injuries in STEMI patients

Transcranial direct current stimulation alleviated ischemic stroke induced injury involving the BDNF-TrkB signaling axis in rats

Ischemic stroke causes a complicated sequence of apoptotic cascades leading to neuronal damage and functional impairments. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive treatment technique that uses electrodes to deliver weak current to the head. It could influence brain activity and has a crucial role in neuronal survival and plasticity. The current study investigated the neuroprotective effects and potential mechanisms of tDCS by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its related receptor tropomyosin-receptor kinase B (TrkB) against apoptosis following ischemic injury in vivo. The effect of consecutive treatment with tDCS for seven days on rats after Middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) surgery was studied. Western blotting, immunofluorescent staining, TUNEL assay, and electron microscope were conducted seven days after tDCS treatment, and the motor function was assessed at 1, 3, and 7 days. Activities of BDNF-TrkB signaling axis and apoptosis-related proteins were determined in the cerebral cortex. At seven days after tDCS treatment, it increased BDNF levels and promoted the regeneration of axons compared with the MCAO/R group. There was also a reduction in neuronal apoptosis and improved functional deficits. Whereafter, a TrkB receptor inhibitor K252a was administrated to clarify whether the neuroprotection of tDCS is exerted via BDNF-TrkB signaling. The results depicted that K252a application significantly inhibited the neuroprotection impact of tDCS treatment. It was accompanied by a significant downregulation of phosphorylation of TrkB, PI3K, and Akt. Our study investigated the neuroprotective effects of tDCS against ischemic injury. The results indicate that upregulation of BDNF and its critical receptor TrkB, as well as its downstream PI3K/Akt pathway, were involved in the protective effects exerted by tDCS.

Xanomeline Protects Cortical Cells From Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation via Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis

Xanomeline, a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, is one of the first compounds that was found to be effective in the treatment of schizophrenics and attenuating behavioral disturbances of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, its role in ischemia-induced injury due to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) remains unclear. Primary rat neuronal cells were exposed to OGD and treated with xanomeline. The effects of xanomeline on apoptosis, cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined using an Annexin V Apoptosis Detection Kit, a non-radioactive cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, colorimetric LDH cytotoxicity assay kit, and a dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay, respectively, and the expressions of Sirtuin 1, haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), and hypoxia-inducible factor α (HIF-1α) as well as the level of phosphorylated kinase B (p-Akt) were determined by Western blotting. Compared with the control, xanomeline pretreatment increased the viability of isolated cortical neurons and decreased the LDH release induced by OGD. Compared with OGD-treated cells, xanomeline inhibited apoptosis, reduced ROS production, attenuated the OGD-induced HIF-1α increase and partially reversed the reduction of HO-1, Sirtuin-1, Bcl-2, PARP, and p-Akt induced by OGD. In conclusion, xanomeline treatment protects cortical neuronal cells possibly through the inhibition of apoptosis after OGD.

Progress in research on the role of Omi/HtrA2 in neurological diseases

Omi/HtrA2 is a serine protease present in the mitochondrial space. When stimulated by external signals, HtrA2 is released into the mitochondrial matrix where it regulates cell death through its interaction with apoptotic and autophagic signaling pathways. Omi/HtrA2 is closely related to the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, such as neurodegeneration and hypoxic ischemic brain damage. Here, we summarize the biological characteristics of Omi/HtrA2 and its role in neurological diseases, which will provide new hints in developing Omi/HtrA2 as a therapeutic target for neurological diseases.