Electroacupuncture-induced neuroprotection against focal cerebral ischemia in the rat is mediated by adenosine A1 receptors

The activation of adenosine A1 receptors is important for protecting against ischemic brain injury and pretreatment with electroacupuncture has been shown to mitigate ischemic brain insult. The aim of this study was to test whether the adenosine A1 receptor mediates electroacupuncture pretreatment-induced neuroprotection against ischemic brain injury. We first performed 30 minutes of electroacupuncture pretreatment at the Baihui acupoint（GV20）, delivered with a current of 1 mA, a frequency of 2/15 Hz, and a depth of 1 mm. High-performance liquid chromatography found that adenosine triphosphate and adenosine levels peaked in the cerebral cortex at 15 minutes and 120 minutes after electroacupuncture pretreatment, respectively. We further examined the effect of 15 or 120 minutes electroacupuncture treatment on ischemic brain injury in a rat middle cerebral artery-occlusion model. We found that at 24 hours reperfusion,120 minutes after electroacupuncture pretreatment, but not for 15 minutes, significantly reduced behavioral deficits and infarct volumes. Last, we demonstrated that the protective effect gained by 120 minutes after electroacupuncture treatment before ischemic injury was abolished by pretreatment with the A1-receptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine（1 mg/kg, intraperitoneally）. Our results suggest that pretreatment with electroacupuncture at the Baihui acupoint elicits protection against transient cerebral ischemia via action at adenosine A1 receptors.

Adenosine A1 receptor ligands bind toα-synuclein:implications forα-synuclein misfolding andα-synucleinopathy in Parkinson’s disease

Background:Accumulatingα-synuclein(α-syn)aggregates in neurons and glial cells are the staples of many synucleinopathy disorders,such as Parkinson’s disease(PD).Since brain adenosine becomes greatly elevated in ageing brains and chronic adenosine A1 receptor(A1R)stimulation leads to neurodegeneration,we determined whether adenosine or A1R receptor ligands mimic the action of known compounds that promoteα-syn aggregation(e.g.,the amphetamine analogue 2-aminoindan)or inhibitα-syn aggregation(e.g.,Rasagiline metabolite 1-aminoindan).In the present study,we determined whether adenosine,A1R receptor agonist N^(6)-Cyclopentyladenosine(CPA)and antago-nist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine(DPCPX)could directly interact withα-syn to modulateα-syn aggregation and neurodegeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra(SN).Methods:Nanopore analysis and molecular docking were used to test the binding properties of CPA and DPCPX withα-syn in vitro.Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with 7-day intraperitoneal injections of the A1R ligands and 1-and 2-aminoindan,and levels ofα-syn aggregation and neurodegeneration were examined in the SN pars compacta and hippocampal regions using confocal imaging and Western blotting.Results:Using nanopore analysis,we showed that the A1R agonists(CPA and adenosine)interacted with the N-terminus ofα-syn,similar to 2-aminoindan,which is expected to promote a“knot”conformation andα-syn misfolding.In contrast,the A1R antagonist DPCPX interacted with the N-and C-termini ofα-syn,similar to 1-aminoindan,which is expected to promote a“loop”conformation that preventsα-syn misfolding.Molecular docking studies revealed that adenosine,CPA and 2-aminoindan interacted with the hydrophobic core ofα-syn N-terminus,whereas DPCPX and 1-aminoindan showed direct binding to the N-and C-terminal hydrophobic pockets.Confocal imaging and Western blot analyses revealed that chronic treatments with CPA alone or in combination with 2-aminoindan increasedα-syn expression/aggregation and neurodegeneration in both SN pars compacta and hippocampus.In contrast,DPCPX and 1-aminoindan attenuated the CPA-inducedα-syn expression/aggregation and neurodegeneration in SN and hippocampus.Conclusions:The results indicate that A1R agonists and drugs promoting a“knot”conformation ofα-syn can causeα-synucleinopathy and increase neuronal degeneration,whereas A1R antagonists and drugs promoting a“loop”con-formation ofα-syn can be harnessed for possible neuroprotective therapies to decreaseα-synucleinopathy in PD.

Silencing miRNA-324-3p protects against cerebral ischemic injury via regulation of the GATA2/A1R axis

Previous studies have suggested that miR-324-3p is related to the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia,but the mechanism underlying this relationship is unclea r.In this study,we found that miR-324-3p expression was decreased in patients with acute ischemic stroke and in in vitro and in vivo models of ischemic stro ke.miR-324-3p agomir potentiated ischemic brain damage in rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion,as indicated by increased infarct volumes and cell apoptosis rates and greater neurological deficits.In a PC12 cell oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation model,a miR-324-3 p mimic decreased cell viability and expression of the anti-apoptotic protein BCL2 and increased expression of the pro-apoptotic protein BAX and rates of cell apoptosis,whereas treatment with a miR-324-3p inhibitor had the opposite effects.Silencing miR-324-3p increased adenosine A1 receptor(A1R)expression thro ugh regulation of GATA binding protein 2(GATA2).These findings suggest that silencing miR-324-3p reduces ischemic brain damage via the GATA2/A1R axis.

Effcacy-oriented compatibility for Tianma(Rhizoma Gastrodiae),Yanlingcao(Trillium tschonoskii Maxim) and Bingpian(Borneolum Syntheticum) on improving cerebral ischemia stroke by network pharmacology and serum pharmacological methods

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the compatibility of Tianma(Rhizoma Gastrodiae,TM),Yanlingcao(Trillium tschonoskii Maxim,YLC)and Bingpian(Borneolum Syntheticum,BP),and their efficacy in the treatment of cerebral ischemic stroke.METHODS:Network pharmacology was used to determine the compatibility of TM,YLC,and BP,and their potential mechanism.The middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO)rat model was used to evaluate the curative effect of the six combinations of TM,YLC,and BP(TZB1-TZB6)on cerebral ischemia,by using the weight matching method to form.The potential component changes of TM and YLC in the blood and brains of rats were analyzed using ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.Finally,molecular docking linked the results of animal experiments and network pharmacology,determining the potential component contributors of TM and YLC to treating ischemic stroke.RESULTS:TZB reduced the cerebral infarct volume and protected the nerve cells in MCAO rats.The components of TM and YLC were also identified in the blood and brain homogenate,and BP can facilitate the entry of the components of TM and YLC into the blood and brain.Diosgenin,pennogenin,and gastrodin induced effective binding activities with adenosine receptor a1.CONCLUSION:We investigate an approach that improves the means of folk prescription combined with multi technology that maybe promote the transformation of Chinese medicinal prescription into component-based Chinese medicine.