Clematichinenoside Facilitates Recovery of Neurological and Motor Function in Rats after Cerebral Ischemic Injury through Inhibiting Notch/NF-κB Pathway

Astrocyte modulation in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury: A promising therapeutic strategy

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) poses significant challenges for drug development due to its complex pathogenesis. Astrocyte involvement in CIRI pathogenesis has led to the development of novel astrocyte-targeting drug strategies. To comprehensively review the current literature, we conducted a thorough analysis from January 2012 to December 2023, identifying 82 drugs aimed at preventing and treating CIRI. These drugs target astrocytes to exert potential benefits in CIRI, and their primary actions include modulation of relevant signaling pathways to inhibit neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, reduce cerebral edema, restore blood-brain barrier integrity, suppress excitotoxicity, and regulate autophagy. Notably, active components from traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) such as Salvia miltiorrhiza, Ginkgo, and Ginseng exhibit these important pharmacological properties and show promise in the treatment of CIRI. This review highlights the potential of astrocyte-targeted drugs to ameliorate CIRI and categorizes them based on their mechanisms of action, underscoring their therapeutic potential in targeting astrocytes.

SIRT1 restores mitochondrial structure and function in rats by activating SIRT3 after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CI/R) injury, which can be ameliorated by Sirtuin-3 (SIRT3). Under stress conditions, the SIRT3-promoted mitochondrial functional recovery depends on both its activity and expression. However, the approach to enhance SIRT3 activity after CI/R injury remains unelucidated. In this study, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were intracranially injected with either adeno-associated viral Sirtuin-1 (AAV-SIRT1) or AAV-sh_SIRT1 before undergoing transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Primary cortical neurons were cultured and transfected with lentiviral SIRT1 (LV-SIRT1) and LV-sh_SIRT1 respectively before oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R). Afterwards, rats and neurons were respectively treated with a selective SIRT3 inhibitor, 3-(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl) pyridine (3-TYP). The expression, function, and related mechanism of SIRT1 were investigated by Western Blot, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, etc. After CI/R injury, SIRT1 expression decreased in vivo and in vitro. The simulation and immune-analyses reported strong interaction between SIRT1 and SIRT3 in the cerebral mitochondria before and after CI/R. SIRT1 overexpression enhanced SIRT3 activity by increasing the deacetylation of SIRT3, which ameliorated CI/R-induced cerebral infarction, neuronal apoptosis, oxidative stress, neurological and motor dysfunction, and mitochondrial respiratory chain dysfunction, promoted mitochondrial biogenesis, and retained mitochondrial integrity and mitochondrial morphology. Meanwhile, SIRT1 overexpression alleviated OGD/R-induced neuronal death and mitochondrial bioenergetic deficits. These effects were reversed by AAV-sh_SIRT1 and the neuroprotective effects of SIRT1 were partially offset by 3-TYP. These results suggest that SIRT1 restores the structure and function of mitochondria by activating SIRT3, offering neuroprotection against CI/R injury, which signifies a potential approach for the clinical management of cerebral ischemia.

Protective Effect of Beta-Carotene against Myeloperoxidase- Mediated Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Rat Ischemic Brain Injury

Oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction play critical roles in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in the brain. β-carotene (βCAR) is a naturally occurring pigment present in fruits and vegetables that expresses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. This study was conducted to investigate the involvement of Bcl2/Bax and NF-κB signaling pathways in the potential protective role of βCAR against brain injury in a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model. A focal brain ischemia model was created for 2 h, followed by reperfusion. Rats were given 10 and 20 mg/kg of βCAR for 7 days orally before induction of ischemia, at the start of reperfusion, and 3 days after ischemia. Scores of neurological deficit were rated 24 h after induction of ischemia. Motor coordination and spontaneous coordinate activities were assessed using rotarod and activity cage, respectively. After 2 h of the last dose, the animals were killed and their brains were extracted for further examinations. The results of the study show that βCAR diminished the score of neurological deficits and ameliorated motor coordination, balance, and locomotor activity in the I/R control group. Further, βCAR resulted in diminution of malondialdehyde (MDA) and augmentation of reduced glutathione (GSH) contents, as well as the elevation of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities in the brain homogenates of I/R rats. βCAR treatment significantly reduced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) brain content and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and ameliorated the histological alterations in the brain tissues. βCAR significantly suppressed Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and caspase-3 expression, as well as upregulated B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expression, suggesting a neuroprotective potential via downregulating NF-kB and protecting the rat brain against the I/R-associated apoptotic injury.

Effects of the interaction of Notch and TLR4 pathways on inflammation and heart function in septic heart

We investigated the role of the interaction between the Notch and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathways in septic myocardial injury. The sepsis model was induced in rats with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Rats were divided into control, LPS, LPS + TAK242 ((6R)-6-[N-(2-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)sulfamoyl]cyclohex-1-ene-1-carboxylate) and LPS + DAPT (N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl]-s-phenylglycinetbutylester) groups. Heart function was evaluated with a Cardiac Doppler ultrasound. Myocardial morphological changes were detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining (H&E). Apoptosis was assessed by a TUNEL assay. The mRNA and protein levels were detected with real-time PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry analysis. We found that heart function in the LPS + TAK242 group was significantly improved, but not in the LPS + DAPT group. LPS + TAK242 had a lower level of degeneration and necrosis of cardiomyocytes and inflammatory cell infiltration, as well as lower apoptosis and caspase-3 expression than the LPS group. Compared with the LPS group, the inflammatory cell infiltration was reduced in the LPS + DAPT group, while the degeneration and necrosis of cardiomyocytes were not obviously improved. Additionally, the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and Interleukin-6, the protein contents of Notch intracellular domain and Hes1, and the P65 nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) to P-P65 NF-κB ratio in LPS + TAK242 group and LPS + DAPT group were significantly lower than those in LPS group. Conclusively, the interaction between TLR4 and Notch signaling pathways enhances the inflammatory response in the septic heart by activating NF-κB. Blocking the TLR4 pathway with TAK242 can improve heart dysfunction and myocardial damage in sepsis, while blocking the Notch pathway with DAPT cannot effectively prevent heart dysfunction and myocardial damage in sepsis.

Fast Independent Component Analysis Algorithm-Based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis of Changes in Brain Functional Areas of Cerebral Infarction

The aim of this study was to analyze the application value of functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) optimized by the fast independent component correlation algorithm (ICA algorithm) in the diagnosis of brain functional areas in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). An optimized fast ICA algorithm was established based on the ICA algorithm. 50 patients with cerebral infarction were selected as the research objects, and 30 healthy people were selected as the control group. The 50 patients from the observation group were examined by fMRI based on Fast ICA algorithm, while the control group was tested by fMRI based on the routine ICA algorithm. The performances of the two algorithms, the analysis results of the two groups of brain functional areas, cerebral blood flow (CBF), resting state functional connectivity (rsFC), behavioral data, and image data correlation of patients were compared. The results showed that the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of Fast ICA algorithm were 97.83%, 89.52%, and 96.27%, respectively, which in the experimental group were greatly better than the control group (88.73%, 72.19%, and 89.72%), showing statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). The maximum Dice coefficient of FAST ICA algorithm was 0.967, and FAST ICA algorithm was better obviously than the traditional ICA algorithm (P < 0.05). The cerebral blood flow of the healthy superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and healthy superior marginal gyrus (SMG) of the observation group with good motor function recovery were 1.02 ± 0.22 and 1.53 ± 0.61, respectively; both indicators showed an increasing trend, and those in the experimental group were much higher in contrast to the control group, showing statistically obvious differences (P < 0.05). Besides, the detection results of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the healthy SFG and healthy SMG were negatively correlated with the results of connection test B. In summary, the fMRI based on the Fast ICA algorithm showed a good diagnostic effect in the changes of brain functional areas in patients with cerebral infarction. The experimental results showed that the cerebral blood flow in the brain area was related to motor or cognitive function. The results of this study provided a reliable reference for the examination and diagnosis of brain functional areas in patients with cerebral infarction.

PCC-0105002, a novel small molecule inhibitor of PSD95-nNOS protein-protein interactions, attenuates neuropathic pain and corrects motor disorder associated with neuropathic pain model

In view of postsynaptic density 95kDA (PSD95) tethers neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) to N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), the PSD95-nNOS complex represents a therapeutic target of neuropathic pain. This study therefore sought to explore the ability of PCC-0105002, a novel PSD95-nNOS small molecule inhibitor, to alter pain sensitivity in rodent neuropathic pain models. Firstly, the IC50 of PCC-0105002 for PSD95 and NOS1 binding activity was determined using an Alpha Screen assay kit. Then, we examined the effects of PCC-0105002 in the mouse formalin test and in the rat spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model, and explored the ability of PCC-0105002 to mediate analgesia and to effect motor coordination in a rota-rod test. Moreover, the mechanisms whereby PCC-0105002 mediates analgesia was explored via western blotting, Golgi staining, and co-immunoprecipitation experiments in dorsal horn. The outcomes indicated that PCC-0105002 exhibited dose-dependent attenuation of phase II pain-associated behaviors in the formalin test. The result indicated that PCC-0105002 disrupted the PSD95-nNOS interaction with IC50 of 1.408 μM. In the SNL model, PCC-0105002 suppressed mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, and abnormal dorsal horn wide dynamic range neuron discharge. PCC-0105002 mediated an analgesic effect comparable to that of MK-801, while it was better able to enhance motor coordination as compared with MK-801. Moreover, PCC-0105002 altered signaling downstream of NMDAR and thus functionally and structurally attenuating synaptic plasticity through respective regulation of the NR2B/GluR1/CaMKIIα and Rac1/RhoA pathways. These findings suggest that the novel PSD95-nNOS inhibitor PCC-0105002 is an effective agent for alleviating neuropathic pain, and that it produces fewer motor coordination-associated side effects than do NMDAR antagonists.

10-O-(N N-Dimethylaminoethyl)-Ginkgolide B Methane-Sulfonate (XQ-1H) Ameliorates Cerebral Ischemia Via Suppressing Neuronal Apoptosis

OBJECTIVES

The 10-O-(N N-dimethylaminoethyl)-ginkgolide B methane-sulfonate (XQ-1H) is an effective novel drug for the treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular disease derived from Ginkgolide B, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in the treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. However, whether XQ-1H exerts neuroprotective effect via regulating neuronal apoptosis and the underlying mechanism remain to be elucidated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effect of XQ-1H in rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) and the oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) induced neuronal apoptosis on pheochromocytoma (PC-12) cells.

RESULTS

The results showed that administration of XQ-1H at different dosage (7.8, 15.6, 31.2 mg/kg) reduced the brain infarct and edema, attenuated the neuro-behavioral dysfunction, and improved cell morphology in brain tissue after MCAO/R in rats. Moreover, incubation with XQ-1H (1 µM, 3 µM, 10 µM, 50 µM, 100 µM) could increase the cell viability, and showed no toxic effect to PC-12 cells. XQ-1H at following 1 µM, 10 µM, 100 µM decreased the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and suppressed the cell apoptosis in PC-12 cells exposed to OGD/R. In addition, XQ-1H treatment could significantly inhibit caspase-3 activation both in vivo and in vitro, reciprocally modulate the expression of apoptosis related proteins, bcl-2, and bax via activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. For mechanism verification, LY294002, the inhibitor of PI3K/Akt pathway was introduced the expressions of bcl-2 and phosphorylated Akt were down-regulated, the expression of bax was up-regulated, indicating that XQ-1H could alleviate the cell apoptosis through activating the PI3K/Akt pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrated that XQ-1H treatment could provide a neuroprotective effect against ischemic stroke induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in vivo and in vitro through regulating neuronal survival and inhibiting apoptosis. The findings of the study confirmed that XQ-1H could be develop as a potential drug for treatment of cerebral ischemic stroke.

Therapeutic modulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3K) pathway in cerebral ischemic injury

The cerebral ischemic reperfusion injury may leads to morbidity and mortality in patients. phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway has been believed to work in association with its downstream targets, other receptors, and pathways that may offer antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic effects, neuroprotective role in neuronal excitotoxicity. This review elaborates the mechanistic interventions of the PI3K pathway in cerebral ischemic injury in context to nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) regulation, Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 signaling (HIF-1), growth factors, Endothelial NOS (eNOS) proinflammatory cytokines, Erythropoietin (EPO), Phosphatase and tensin homologous protein of chromosome 10 gene (PTEN) signaling, NF-κB/Notch signaling, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) signaling pathway. Evidences showing the activation of PI3K inhibits apoptotic pathway, which results in its neuroprotective effect in ischemic injury. Despite discussing the therapeutic role of the PI3K pathway in treating cerebral ischemic injury, the review also enlighten the selective modulation of PI3K pathway with activators and inhibitors which may provide promising results in clinical and preclinical settings.

Clematichinenoside AR Alleviates Foam Cell Formation and the Inflammatory Response in Ox-LDL-Induced RAW264.7 Cells by Activating Autophagy

Foam cell formation and inflammation in macrophages contribute to the development of atherosclerosis (AS). Clematichinenoside AR (AR) is a major active ingredient extracted from the traditional Chinese herb Clematis chinensis and has potent pharmacological effects on various diseases, including AS. However, little is known about the exact role and mechanism of AR in AS. RAW264.7 macrophages were exposed to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to induce AS in vitro. Cell viability was assessed by the CCK-8 assay. Foam cell formation was detected by Oil Red staining. Cholesterol levels were determined by corresponding commercial kits. The expression of inflammatory cytokines was detected by ELISA. Western blot and immunofluorescence assays were employed to detect the expression of corresponding genes. The results indicated that AR treatment inhibited the formation of foam cells and cholesterol accumulation but promoted cholesterol efflux by upregulating ABCA1/ABCG1 in ox-LDL-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. In addition, AR decreased the production of inflammatory cytokines by blunting the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and inducing autophagy. However, these effects of AR were weakened by the autophagy inhibitor bafilomycin A1 but were similar to those produced by the autophagy activator rapamycin. Collectively, our study provides novel insights into the beneficial effects of AR on promoting cholesterol efflux as well as inhibiting foam cell formation and inflammation by regulating autophagy, thus identifying AR as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of AS.

WITHDRAWN: PCC-0105002, a novel small molecule inhibitor of PSD95-nNOS protein-protein interactions, attenuates neuropathic pain and corrects motor coordination-associated side effects in neuropathic pain model

This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal.

Thymosin‑β 4 induces angiogenesis in critical limb ischemia mice via regulating Notch/NF‑κB pathway

Thymosin‑β 4 (Tβ4) has been reported to exert a pro‑angogenic effect on endothelial cells. However, little is known on the role and underlying mechanisms of Tβ4 on critical limb ischemia (CLI). The present study aimed therefore to investigate the mechanisms and pro‑angiogenic effects of Tβ4 in CLI mice. Tβ4 overexpression lentiviral vector was first transfected into HUVEC and CLI mice model, and inhibitors of Notch pathway (DAPT) and NF‑κB pathway (BMS) were also applied to HUVEC and CLI mice. Subsequently, MTT, tube formation and wound healing assays were used to determine the cell viability, angiogenesis and migratory ablity of HUVEC, respectively. Western blotting, reverse transcription, quantitative PCR, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of the angiogenesis‑related factors angiopoietin‑2 (Ang2), TEK receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (tie2), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), CD31 and α‑smooth muscle actin (α‑SMA) and the Notch/NF‑κB pathways‑related factors NOTCH1 intracellular domain (N1ICD), Notch receptor 3 (Notch3), NF‑κB and p65 in HUVEC or CLI mice muscle tissues. The results demonstrated that Tβ4 not only enhanced the cell viability, angiogenesis and migratory ability of HUVEC but also promoted the expression of Ang2, tie2, VEGFA, N1ICD, Notch3, NF‑κB, and phosphorylated (p)‑p65 in HUVEC. In addition, Tβ4 promoted the expression of CD31, α‑SMA Ang2, tie2, VEGFA, N1ICD and p‑p65 in CLI mice muscle tissues. Treatment with DAPT and BMS had opposite effects of Tβ4, whereas Tβ4 reversed the effect of DAPT and BMS. The findings from the present study suggested that Tβ4 may promote angiogenesis in CLI mice via regulation of Notch/NF‑κB pathways.