Association analysis of Glutathione S-transferase omega-1 and omega-2 genetic polymorphisms and ischemic stroke risk in a Turkish population

GSTO2 ameliorates human neuroblastoma cell apoptosis, inflammation, ferroptosis, and oxidative stress by upregulating GPX4 expression in intracerebral hemorrhage

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a severe hemorrhagic stroke and induces severe secondary neurological injury. However, its pathogenesis remains to be explored. The present work investigates the role of glutathione S-transferase omega 2 (GSTO2) in ICH and the underlying mechanism. Human neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-SH) were stimulated using hemin to mimic ICH-like injury. Protein expression levels of GSTO2 and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) were detected by western blot analysis assay. Cell viability was assessed by cell counting kit-8 assay. Cell proliferation was investigated by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Fe2+ colorimetric assay kit was used to detect Fe2+ level. A cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay kit was used to detect ROS levels. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level was assessed using the MDA content assay kit. GSH level was quantified using the GSH assay kit. Co-immunoprecipitation assay was performed to identify the association between GSTO2 and GPX4. Hemin stimulation suppressed SK-N-SH cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis, cell inflammation, ferroptosis, and oxidative stress. GSTO2 expression was downregulated in hemin-treated SK-N-SH cells in comparison with the control group. In addition, ectopic GSTO2 expression counteracted hemin-induced inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and promoting effects on cell apoptosis, inflammation, ferroptosis, and oxidative stress. Moreover, GSTO2 was associated with GPX4 in SK-N-SH cells. GPX4 silencing attenuated GSTO2 overexpression-induced effects on hemin-stimulated SK-N-SH cell injury. GSTO2 ameliorated SK-N-SH cell apoptosis, inflammation, ferroptosis, and oxidative stress by upregulating GPX4 expression in ICH, providing a therapeutic strategy for ICH.

The Impact of Genetic Polymorphisms in Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase, a Key Enzyme of Glutathione Biosynthesis, on Ischemic Stroke Risk and Brain Infarct Size

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore whether polymorphisms in genes encoding the catalytic (GCLC) and modifier (GCLM) subunits of glutamate-cysteine ligase, a rate-limiting enzyme in glutathione synthesis, play a role in the development of ischemic stroke (IS) and the extent of brain damage. A total of 1288 unrelated Russians, including 600 IS patients and 688 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects, were enrolled for the study. Nine common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the GCLC and GCLM genes were genotyped using the MassArray-4 system. SNP rs2301022 of GCLM was strongly associated with a decreased risk of ischemic stroke regardless of sex and age (OR = 0.39, 95%CI 0.24−0.62, p < 0.0001). Two common haplotypes of GCLM possessed protective effects against ischemic stroke risk (p < 0.01), but exclusively in nonsmoker patients. Infarct size was increased by polymorphisms rs636933 and rs761142 of GCLC. The mbmdr method enabled identifying epistatic interactions of GCLC and GCLM gene polymorphisms with known IS susceptibility genes that, along with environmental risk factors, jointly contribute to the disease risk and brain infarct size. Understanding the impact of genes and environmental factors on glutathione metabolism will allow the development of effective strategies for the treatment of ischemic stroke and disease prevention.

Risk factors associated with recurrence of ischemic stroke after intracranial stenting in china: a case-control study

Objectives: To investigate the factors affecting the risk of recurrent stroke after intracranial artery stenting.Methods: This is a subgroup analysis of a prospective single-arm registry study with 20 participating sites. Patients aged 18-85 years old with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis caused by 70-99% stenosis combined with poor collaterals were included in this study. The median follow-up in this study was 26.4 months.Results: A total of 260 patients were recruited in this study. Ischemic stroke related to target vessel occurred in 11 patients (4.2%) from 30 days to the last follow-up. The multivariate analysis revealed age ≥60 years old (OR: 11.991, 95% CI: 1.400-102.716; p = 0.023), no smoking (OR: 0.087, 95% CI: 0.010-0.787; p = 0.030), and Mori C type (OR: 5.129, 95% CI: 1.242-21.178; p = 0.024) retained significance in the model. There was no significant difference in the ischemic stroke based on medical history of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, baseline percent stenosis, length of stenosis, residual stenosis, and different stent types.Conclusions: Recurrence of ischemic stroke after intracranial stenting may be associated with elderly age, non-smoking, and Mori C type lesion. These factors will need to be monitored in future trials of intracranial stenting.Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01968122.

GST null polymorphisms may affect the risk of coronary artery disease: evidence from a meta-analysis

Background

Whether glutathione S-transferase (GST) null polymorphisms, namely GSTM1 null, GSTP1 null and GSTT1 null polymorphisms, influence the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) or not remains unclear. Thus, the authors performed a meta-analysis to more robustly estimate associations between GST null polymorphisms and the risk of CAD by integrating the results of previous publications.

Methods

Medline, Embase, Wanfang, VIP and CNKI were searched comprehensively for eligible studies, and 45 genetic association studies were finally selected to be included in this meta-analysis.

Results

We found that GSTM1 null polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk of CAD in overall population (OR = 1.37, p = 0.003) and mixed population (OR = 1.61, p = 0.004), GSTP1 null polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk of CAD in overall population (OR = 1.23, p = 0.03), whereas GSTT1 null polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk of CAD in overall population (OR = 1.23, p = 0.02), Caucasians (OR = 1.23, p = 0.02) and East Asians (OR = 1.38, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

This meta-analysis demonstrated that GSTM1 null, GSTP1 null and GSTT1 null polymorphisms were all significantly associated with an increased risk of CAD.

Insights into the Authentic Active Ingredients and Action Sites of Oral Exogenous Glutathione in the Treatment of Ischemic Brain Injury Based on Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Studies

Glutathione (GSH) has been reported to be closely related to various diseases of the central nervous system, yet its authentic active ingredients and action sites remain unclear. In the present study, oral exogenous GSH significantly alleviated ischemic brain injury, but this result was inconsistent with its low bioavailability and blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. To ascertain the exposure of GSH-derived ingredients, including GSH, cysteine (CYS), glutamate (Glu), glycine (GLY), CYS-GLY, and γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC) were systematically studied both in vitro and in vivo. The outcomes demonstrated that oral GSH not only increases the GSH and CYS levels in rat striatum and cortex, but it also can decrease the rise of intracerebral Glu concentration caused by ischemia/reperfusion surgery. Then the influence of GSH on the BBB was investigated via measuring IgG leakage, intracerebral endotoxin, and tight-junction proteins. All indicators showed that GSH dosing can repair the destroyed BBB. Oral GSH greatly enhances the exposure of GSH, CYS, CYS-GLY, and γ-GC in rat duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon. Accumulating evidence reveals a close link between brain injury and gastrointestinal dysfunction. Our findings further suggest that oral GSH significantly improves intestinal inflammatory damage and barrier disruptions. In conclusion, oral GSH can have a direct therapeutic role in brain injury by stabilizing intracerebral levels of GSH, CYS, and Glu. It can also play an indirect therapeutic role by enhancing the intestinal exposure of GSH, CYS, CYS-GLY, and γ-GC and improving intestinal barrier disruptions. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The authentic active ingredients and action sites of exogenous glutathione (GSH) in the treatment of ischemic brain injury are unclear. We have shown that oral exogenous GSH not only stabilizes intracerebral levels of GSH, cysteine (CYS), and glutamate (Glu) to act directly on brain injury, but it can also exert an indirect therapeutic role by improving intestinal barrier disruptions. These findings have great significance for revealing the therapeutic effect of GSH on ischemic brain injury and for promoting its further development and clinical application.