NP-2 GSK-3βInhibitor Reduced Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury in Mice

Hypoxia-ischemia is an important cause of brain injury and neurological morbidity in the newborn infants.Glycogen synthase kinase 3β(GSK-3β)is activated and upregulated following hypoxic-ischemic(HI)brain injury.We have investigated the effects of GSK-3βinhibitors,Tideglusib and TDZD-8,on HI brain injury in neonatal mice.Specifically,postnatal day 7(P7)mouse pups subjected to unilateral common carotid artery ligation followed by 1 h of hypoxia.HI experimental or sham control groups were administered either the GSK-3βinhibitor or vehicle intraperitoneally 20 min prior to the onset of ischemia.The brain infarct volume and whole brain images were used in conjunction with Nissl staining to evaluate the protective effects of GSK-3βinhibitors.Either tideglusib or TDZD-8 significantly reduced cerebral infarct volume and improved neurobehavioral outcomes following HI injury.Western blotting showed that either drug increased phosphorylated GSK-3βand Akt,and reduced the expression of GFAP and p-STAT3.Pretreatment with tideglusib also enhanced the protein level of Notch1,and reduced the cleavage of pro-apoptotic signal caspase proteins,including caspase 3 and caspase 9 following HI.These results indicate that these GSK-3βinhibitors show neuroprotection against hypoxicischemic brain injury in neonatal mice.Either Tideglusib or TDZD-8 is a potential compound for the prevention or treatment of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in neonates.