Overexpression of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 in endothelial cells reduces blood-brain barrier injury in a mouse model of ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke can cause blood-brain barrier(BBB)injury,which worsens brain damage induced by stroke.Abnormal expression of tight junction proteins in endothelial cells(ECs)can increase intracellular space and BBB leakage.Selective inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase,the negative regulatory substrate of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase(MKP)-1,improves tight junction protein function in ECs,and genetic deletion of MKP-1 aggravates ischemic brain injury.However,whether the latter affects BBB integrity,and the cell type-specific mechanism underlying this process,remain unclear.In this study,we established an adult male mouse model of ischemic stroke by occluding the middle cerebral artery for 60 minutes and overexpressed MKP-1 in ECs on the injured side via lentiviral transfection before stroke.We found that overexpression of MKP-1 in ECs reduced infarct volume,reduced the level of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β,interleukin-6,and chemokine C-C motif ligand-2,inhibited vascular injury,and promoted the recovery of sensorimotor and memory/cognitive function.Overexpression of MKP-1 in ECs also inhibited the activation of cerebral ischemia-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)1/2 and the downregulation of occludin expression.Finally,to investigate the mechanism by which MKP-1 exerted these functions in ECs,we established an ischemic stroke model in vitro by depriving the primary endothelial cell of oxygen and glucose,and pharmacologically inhibited the activity of MKP-1 and ERK1/2.Our findings suggest that MKP-1 inhibition aggravates oxygen and glucose deprivation-induced cell death,cell monolayer leakage,and downregulation of occludin expression,and that inhibiting ERK1/2 can reverse these effects.In addition,co-inhibition of MKP-1 and ERK1/2 exhibited similar effects to inhibition of ERK1/2.These findings suggest that overexpression of MKP-1 in ECs can prevent ischemia-induced occludin downregulation and cell death via deactivating ERK1/2,thereby protecting the integrity of BBB,alleviating brain injury,and improving post-stroke prognosis.

Neuroprotective Effects of Dexmedetomidine Preconditioning on Oxygen-glucose Deprivation-reoxygenation Injury in PC12 Cells via Regulation of Ca^2+-STIM1/Orail Signaling

Summary:Dexmedetomidine(DEX),a potent and highly selective agonist for a2-adrenergic receptors(a2AR),exerts neuroprotective effects by reducing apoptosis through decreased neuronal Ca^2+influx.However,the exact action mechanism of DEX and its effects on oxygen-glucose deprivation-reoxygenation(OGD/R)injury in vitro are unknown.We demonstrate that DEX pretreatment reduced OGD/R injury in PC12 cells,as evidenced by decreased oxidative stress,autophagy,and neuronal apoptosis.Specifically,DEX pretreatment decreased the expression levels of stromal interaction molecule 1(STIM1)and calcium release-activated calcium channel protein 1(Orail),and reduced the concentration of intracellular calcium pools.In addition,variations in cytosolic calcium concentration altered apoptosis rate of PC12 cells after exposure to hypoxic conditions,which were modulated through STIM 1/Orail signaling.Moreover,DEX pretreatment decreased the expression levels of Beclin-1 and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3(LC3),hallmark markers of autophagy,and the formation of autophagosomes.In conclusion,these results suggested that DEX exerts neuroprotective effects against oxidative stress,autophagy,and neuronal apoptosis afier OGD/R injury via modulation of Caf-STIM1/Orai1 signaling.Our results offer insights into the molecular mechanisms of DEX in protecting against neuronal ischemia-reperfusion injury.