Microarrow sensor array with enhanced skin adhesion for transdermal continuous monitoring of glucose and reactive oxygen species

Conventional blood sampling for glucose detection is prone to cause pain and fails to continuously record glucose fluctuations in vivo.Continuous glucose monitoring based on implantable electrodes could induce pain and potential tissue inflammation,and the presence of reactive oxygen species(ROS)due to inflammationmay affect glucose detection.Microneedle technology is less invasive,yet microneedle adhesion with skin tissue is limited.In this work,we developed a microarrow sensor array(MASA),which provided enhanced skin surface adhesion and enabled simultaneous detection of glucose and H_(2)O_(2)(representative of ROS)in interstitial fluid in vivo.The microarrows fabricated via laser micromachining were modified with functional coating and integrated into a patch of a three-dimensional(3D)microneedle array.Due to the arrow tip mechanically interlocking with the tissue,the microarrow array could better adhere to the skin surface after penetration into skin.The MASA was demonstrated to provide continuous in vivo monitoring of glucose and H_(2)O_(2) concentrations,with the detection of H_(2)O_(2) providing a valuable reference for assessing the inflammation state.Finally,the MASA was integrated into a monitoring system using custom circuitry.This work provides a promising tool for the stable and reliable monitoring of blood glucose in diabetic patients.

Salidroside attenuates oxygen and glucose deprivation-induced neuronal injury by inhibiting ferroptosis

Objective: To evaluate the effect of salidroside on oxygen and glucose deprivation(OGD)-treated NT2 cells and its underlying mechanisms of action.Methods: Retinoic acid was used to induce the differentiation of NT2 cells into neurons. The effects of salidroside on survival, apoptosis, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress of neurons undergoing OGD were evaluated. Using precursor cells as controls, the effect of salidroside on the differentiation progression of OGDtreated cells was evaluated. In addition, the effect of erastin, a ferroptosis inducer, on NT2 cells was examined to investigate the underlying mechanisms of neuroprotective action of salidroside.Results: Salidroside alleviated the effects of OGD on neuronal survival, apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, and promoted NT2 cell differentiation. Moreover, salidroside prevented ferroptosis of OGD-treated cells, which was abolished following erastin treatment, indicating that ferroptosis mediated the regulatory pathway of salidroside.Conclusions: Salidroside attenuates OGD-induced neuronal injury by inhibiting ferroptosis and promotes neuronal differentiation.

Establishment of oxygen glucose deprivation reperfusion model of senescent SH-SY5Y cells

Obejective:To explore the establishment of an oxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusion model of senescent SH-SY5Y cells.Methods:SH-SY5Y cells were randomly divided into control(D-galactose 0 mmol/L group),D-galactose(25 mmol/L,50 mmol/L,100 mmol/L,200 mmol/L,400 mmol/L)groups,and treated with corresponding concentrations of D-galactose for 48 h.The changes of cell morphology,β-galactosidase,the cell morphology,β-galactosidase activity by microscopic observation,cell proliferation rate by EdU kit and cell survival rate by CCK-8 assay were used to determine the decaying concentration of D-galactose and to establish the senescence model.The senescent SH-SY5Y cells were randomly divided into control group(oxygen glucose deprivation without treatment group),oxygen glucose deprivation treatment(0.5 h,1 h,1.5 h,2 h)group,followed by re-glucose reoxygenation for 24 h,and CCK-8 assay for the survival rate of senescent SH-SY5Y cells.Results:There were no significant changes in cell morphology and β-gal activity in the 25 mmol/L and 50 mmol/L groups compared with the control group(P>0.05),cytosolic hypertrophy was seen in the cells of the 100 mmol/L group,chromatin fixation in the cells of the 200 mmol/L group,and massive vacuolization in the cells of the 400 mmol/L group;the positive rate ofβ-galactosidase staining in the cells of the(100-400 mmol/L)group was significantly higher compared with the control group(P<0.05),with little difference between the 100 mmol/L and 200 mmol/L groups(P>0.05);the cell proliferation ability of the(100-400 mmol/L)group was significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner(P<0.05);the cell survival rate was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner(P<0.05),with IC_(50) between 100 mmol/L and 200 mmol/L.The survival of senescent SH-SY5Y cells showed a time-dependent decrease in oxygen-glucose deprivation(P<0.05),with an IC_(50) close to 1 h.Conclusion:D-gal concentration of 100 mmoL/L and 48 h of cell action could establish a survival rate of about 50%of senescent SH-SY5Y cells,and oxygen glucose deprivation of senescent SH-SY5Y cells for 1 h and reperfusion for 24 h could establish an oxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusion model of senescent SH-SY5Y cells with a survival rate close to 50%.

Scutellarin protects oxygen/glucose-deprived astrocytes and reduces focal cerebral ischemic injury

Scutellarin, a bioactive flavone isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis, has anti-inflammatory, anti-neurotoxic, anti-apoptotic and anti-oxida- tive effects and has been used to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in China. However, the mechanisms by which scutellarin mediates neuroprotection in cerebral ischemia remain unclear. The interaction between scutellarin and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 2 （NOX2） was assessed by molecular docking study, which showed that scutellarin selectively binds to NOX2 with high affinity. Cultures of primary astrocytes isolated from the cerebral cortex of neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with 2, 10 or 50 μM scutellarin for 30 minutes. The astrocytes were then subjected to oxygen/glucose deprivation by incubation for 2 hours in glucose-free Dulbecco＇s modified Eagle＇s medium in a 95% N2/5% CO2 incubator, followed by simulated reperfusion for 22 hours. Cell viability was assessed by cell counting kit-8 assay. Expression levels of NOX2, connexin 43 and caspase-3 were assessed by western blot assay. Reactive oxygen species were measured spectrophotometrically. Pretreatment with 10 or 50 μM scutellarin substantially increased viability, reduced the expression of NOX2 and caspase-3, increased the expression of connexin 43, and diminished the levels of reactive oxygen, species in astrocytes subjected to ischemia-＇reperfusion. We also assessed the effects of scutellarin in vivo in the rat transient middle cerebral artery occlusion model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Rats were given intraperitoneal injection of 100 mg/kg scutellarin 2 hours before surgery. The Bederson scale was used to assess neurological deficit, and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining was used to measure infarct size. Western blot assay was used to assess expression of NOX2 and connexin 43 in brain tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine （8-OHdG）, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal （4-HNE） and 3-nitrotyrosin （3-NT） in brain tissue. Immunofluorescence double staining was used to determine the co-expression of caspase-3 and NeuN. Pretreatment with scutellarin im- proved the neurological function of rats with focal cerebral ischemia, reduced infarct size, diminished the expression of NOX2, reduced levels of 8-OHdG, 4-HNE and 3-NT, and reduced the number of cells co-expressing caspase-3 and NeuN in the injured brain tissue. Furthermore, we examined the effect of the NOX2 inhibitor apocynin. Apocynin substantially increased connexin 43 expression in vivo and in vitro. Collectively, our findings suggest that scutellarin protects against ischemic injury in vitro and in vivo by downregulating NOX2, upregulating connexin 43, decreasing oxidative damage, and reducing apoptotic cell death.

Hyodeoxycholic acid protects the neurovascular unit against oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation-induced injury in vitro

Calculus bovis is commonly used for the treatment of stroke in traditional Chinese medicine. Hyodeoxycholic acid(HDCA) is a bioactive compound extracted from calculus bovis. When combined with cholic acid, baicalin and jas-minoidin, HDCA prevents hypoxia-reoxygenation-induced brain injury by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptotic signaling. However, the effects of HDCA in ischemic stroke injury have not yet been studied. Neurovascular unit(NVU) dysfunction occurs in ischemic stroke. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of HDCA on the NVU under ischemic conditions in vitro. We co-cultured primary brain microvascular endothelial cells, neurons and astrocytes using a transwell chamber co-culture system. The NVU was pre-treated with 10.16 or 2.54 μg/mL HDCA for 24 hours before exposure to oxygen-glucose deprivation for 1 hour. The cell counting kit-8 assay was used to detect cell activity. Flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling were used to assess apoptosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, and neurotrophic factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor. Oxidative stress-related factors, such as superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde and γ-glutamyltransferase, were measured using kits. Pretreatment with HDCA significantly decreased blood-brain barrier permeability and neuronal apoptosis, significantly increased transendothelial electrical resistance and γ-glutamyltransferase activity, attenuated oxidative stress damage and the release of inflammatory cytokines, and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor expression. Our findings suggest that HDCA maintains NVU morphological integrity and function by modulating inflammation, oxidation stress, apoptosis, and the expression of neurotrophic factors. Therefore, HDCA may have therapeutic potential in the clinical management of ischemic stroke. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Experimental Animals of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(approval No. BUCM-3-2016040201-2003) in April 2016.

Selenocysteine antagonizes oxygen glucose deprivation-induced damage to hippocampal neurons

Designing and/or searching for novel antioxidants against oxygen glucose effective strategy for the treatment of human isdlemic stroke. Selenium is deprivation （OGD）-induced oxidative damage represents an an essential trace dement, which is beneficial in the chemo- prevention and chemotherapy of cerebral ischemic stroke. The underlying mechanisms for its therapeutic effects, however, are not well documented. Selenocysteine （SeC） is a selenium-containing amino acid with neuroprotective potential. Studies have shown that SeC can reduce irradiation-induced DNA apoptosis by reducing DNA damage. In this study, the in vitro protective potential and mechanism of action of SeC against OGD-induced apoptosis and neurotoxicity were evaluated in HT22 mouse hippocampal neurons. We cultured HT22 cells in a glucose-free medium containing 2 mM Na2S402, which formed an OGD environment, for 90 minutes. Findings from MTT, flow cytometry and TUNEL staining showed obvious cytotoxicity and apoptosis in HT22 cells in the OGD condition. The activation of Caspa se-7 and Caspase-9 further revealed that OGD-induced apoptosis of HT22 cells was mainly achieved by triggering a mitochondrial-medi- ated pathway. Moreover, the OGD condition also induced serious DNA damage through the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and superoxide anions. However, SeC pre-treatment for 6 hours effectively inhibited OGD-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in HT22 cells by inhibiting reactive oxygen species-mediated oxidative damage. Our findings provide evidence that SeC has the potential to suppress OGD-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis in hippocampal neurons.

High glucose induces myocardial cell injury through increasing reactive oxygen species production

Objective: To study the injury effect and molecular mechanism of high glucose on myocardial cells. Methods: Myocardial cells H9 c2 were cultured and divided into the control group treated with DMEM containing 5.5 mmol/L glucose, the high glucose group treated with DMEM containing 35 mmol/L glucose, and the N-acetylcysteine(NAC) group pre-treated with 1000μmol/L NAC and treated with DMEM containing 1000 μmol/L NAC and 35 mmol/L glucose.The production of ROS and the expression of mitochondria pathway apoptosis molecules in cells as well as the contents of collagen and collagen metabolism molecules were measured.Results: After 8 h, 16 h and 24 h of treatment, ROS RFU as well as Bax, CytC, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 protein expression in cells and Col-I, Col-Ⅲ, PINP and PⅢNP protein levels in culture medium of high glucose group were higher than those of control group, Bcl-2 protein expression were lower than those of control group, but CTX-Ⅰ protein levels in culture medium were not significantly different from those of control group; after 24 h of treatment, Bax, CytC,Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 protein expression in cells as well as Col-Ⅰ, Col-Ⅲ, PINP and PIIINP protein levels in culture medium of NAC group were lower than those of high glucose group whereas Bcl-2 protein expression was higher than that of high glucose group. Conclusions:High glucose can induce myocardial cell apoptosis, increase collagen synthesis and accelerate interstitial fibrosis by increasing the production of reactive oxygen species.

Oxygen Glucose Deprivation Post-conditioning Protects Cortical Neurons against Oxygen-glucose Deprivation Injury: Role of HSP70 and Inhibition of Apoptosis

In the present study, we examined the effect of oxygen glucose deprivation（OGD） post-conditioning（PostC） on neural cell apoptosis in OGD-PostC model and the protective effect on primary cortical neurons against OGD injury in vitro. Four-h OGD was induced by OGD by using a specialized and humidified chamber. To initiate OGD, culture medium was replaced with de-oxygenated and glucose-free extracellular solution-Locke＇s medium. After OGD treatment for 4 h, cells were then allowed to recover for 6 h or 20 h. Then lactate dehydrogenase（LDH） release assay, Western blotting and flow cytometry were used to detect cell death, protein levels and apoptotic cells, respectively. For the PostC treatment, three cycles of 15-min OGD, followed by 15 min normal cultivation, were applied immediately after injurious 4-h OGD. Cells were then allowed to recover for 6 h or 20 h, and cell death was assessed by LDH release assay. Apoptotic cells were flow cytometrically evaluated after 4-h OGD, followed by re-oxygenation for 20 h（O4/R20）. In addition, Western blotting was used to examine the expression of heat-shock protein 70（HSP70）, Bcl-2 and Bax. The ratio of Bcl-2 expression was（0.44±0.08）% and（0.76±0.10）%, and that of Bax expression was（0.51±0.05）% and（0.39±0.04）%, and that of HSP70 was（0.42±0.031）% and（0.72±0.045）% respectively in OGD group and PostC group. After O4/R6, the rate of neuron death in PostC group and OGD groups was（28.96±3.03）% and（37.02±4.47）%, respectively. Therefore, the PostC treatment could up-regulate the expression of HSP70 and Bcl-2, but down-regulate Bax expression. As compared with OGD group, OGD-induced neuron death and apoptosis were significantly decreased in PostC group（P0.05）. These findings suggest that PostC inhibited OGD-induced neuron death. This neuro-protective effect is likely achieved by anti-apoptotic mechanisms and is associated with over-expression of HSP70.

Astragalus injection inhibits c-Jun N terminal kinase mRNA expression following oxygen-glucose deprivation and reintroduction in rat hippocampal neurons

BACKGROUND： In studies concerning cell injury induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, current experiments have primarily focused on altered protein levels. In addition, the apoptotic proteins Bax and Bcl-2 have been thoroughly studied with regard to initiating neuronal apoptosis. OBJECTIVE： To establish an in vitro model of oxygen-glucose deprivation and reintroduction in the rat hippocampus to simulate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury; to observe c-Jun N-terminal kinase 3 （JNK3） mRNA expression in hippocampal neurons following Astragalus injection; and thus to determine changes in the signaling and downstream pathways of neuronal apoptosis at the cellular and molecular level. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled, cellular and molecular experiment was performed at the Department of Central Laboratory, Chengde Medical College from February to June 2008. MATERIALS： Astragalus injection, the main ingredient of astragaloside, was purchased from Chengdu Di＇ao Jiuhong Pharmaceutical Manufactory, China. JNK3 mRNA probe and in situ hybridization kit were purchased from Tianjin Haoyang Biological Technology, China, and JNK3 RT-PCR primers were designed by Shanghai Bio-engineering, China. METHODS： Primary cultures of hippocampal neurons derived from Sprague Dawley rats, aged 1 2 days, were established. After 8 days, the hippocampal neurons were assigned to the following interventions： model group, Astragalus group, and vehicle control group, cells were subjected to oxygen-glucose reintroduction after oxygen-glucose deprivation for 30 minutes in sugar-free Earle＇s solution and a hypoxia device, which contained high-purity nitrogen. The normal control group was subjected to primary culture techniques and was not treated using above-mentioned interventions. In addition, the Astragalus and vehicle control groups were treated with Astragalus injection （0.5 g/L raw drug） or sterile, deionized water at 2 hours prior to oxygen-glucose deprivation, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： JNK3 mRNA expression was measured by in situ hybridization and RT-PCR at 0, 0.5, 2, 6, 24, 72, and 120 hours after oxygen-glucose reintroduction. RESULTS： Hippocampal neuronal morphology was normal in the normal control group. Hippocampal neurons exhibited apparent apoptosis-like pathological changes in the model, as well as the vehicle control, groups. The apoptosis-like pathological changes in the hippocampal neurons were less in the Astragalus group. Results from in situ hybridization and RT-PCR showed that JNK3 mRNA expression significantly increased in hippocampal neurons from model group, as well as the vehicle control group, compared with the normal control group （P 〈 0.05）. In addition, JNK3 mRNA expression significantly decreased in hippocampal neurons of the Astragalus group, compared with the model group and vehicle control group （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Astragalus injection inhibited apoptosis-related JNK3 mRNA expression following oxygen-glucose deprivation and reintroduction, and accordingly played a role in inhibiting hippocampal neuronal apoptosis.

IcarisideⅡ alleviates oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation-induced PC12 celloxidative injury by activating Nrf2 / SIRT3signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE To investigate icariside(ICS)Ⅱ protects against PC12 cel damage induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation and explore its mechanism.METHODS The oxidative stress injury model was induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R) 2 h/24 h in PC12 cells.N-acetyl-lcysteine(NAC),a classical anti-oxidant,was used as positive control.Pharmacodynamic experimental study groups as follows:control,control+ICS Ⅱ50 μmol·L^(-1),OGD/R,OGD/R+ICSⅡ 12.5 μmol·L^(-1),OGD/R + ICS Ⅱ 25 μmol·L^(-1),OGD/R + ICS Ⅱ50 μmol·L^(-1),and OGD/R+NAC 100 μmol·L^(-1) groups.Cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) leakage rate were measured by MTT assay and LDH ELISA kit,respectively.Moreover,reactive oxygen species(ROS) ELISA kit was used for detection of intracellular ROS generation,Mito-SOX fluorescence staining was used for detecting production of ROS in mitochondria and mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)was detected by rhodamine 123 dye.In addition,PC12 cells apoptosis was detected by one-step TUNEL assay.Furthermore,the expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factors(Nrf2),Keap1,HO^(-1),NQO^(-1),silent information regulator 3(SIRT3),IDH2,Bax,Bcl-2 and caspase 3 were detected by Western blotting analysis.RESULTS The results of MTT and LDH assay showed that OGD/R reduced the cell viability and improved LDH release compared with the control or ICSⅡ 50 μmol·L^(-1) alone(P<0.01).Meanwhile,OGD/R not only increased intracellular and mitochondrial ROS generation,but also elevated the fluorescence intensity of TUNEL staining,at the same time,the MMP was declined when challenged by OGD/R.Furthermore,the Western blotting results showed that OGD/R induced the increase in the expression of cytoplasm-Nrf2,Keap1,Bax and cleaved-caspase 3 level,while the decrease in the expression of nucleus-Nrf2,HO^(-1),NQO^(-1),SIRT3,IDH2 and Bcl-2(P<0.05).However,ICS Ⅱ significantly increased the viability of PC12 cells and reduced LDH leakage(P<0.01).Notably,ICS Ⅱ also suppressed ROS generation both in the intracellular and mitochondria,as well as restored MMP.It was also worthy to note that ICS Ⅱ decreased the expressions of cytoplasmNrf2,Keap1,Bax and the level of cleaved-caspase3,whereas,it increased the expressions of nucleus-Nrf2,HO^(-1),NQO^(-1),SIRT3,IDH2 and Bcl-2(P<0.05).CONCLUSION ICSⅡ reduced OGD/Rinduced oxidative damage in PC12 cells under the laboratory conditions,and its underlying mechanism may be related to the regulation of Nrf2/SIRT3 signaling pathway.

Proliferation and Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells Co-Cultured with Cerebral Microvascular Endothelial Cells after Oxygen-glucose Deprivation

Various stem cells, including neural stem cells （NSCs）, have been extensively studied in stroke models, but how to increase neuronal differentiation rate of NSCs remains unresolved, particu- larly in a damaged environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cerebral mi- crovascular endothelial cells （CMECs） on the neurogenesis of NSCs with or without oxygen-glucose deprivation （OGD）. The NSCs acquired from primary culture were immunostained to prove cell purity. Survival and proliferation of NSCs were determined after the co-culture with CMECs for 7 days. After removing the CMECs, NSCs were randomly divided into two groups as follows： OGD and non-OGD groups. Both groups were maintained in differentiation culture for 4 days to evaluate the differentiation rate. Mouse embryo fibroblast （MEF） cells co-cultured with NSCs served as control group. NSCs co-cultured with CMECs had an increase in size （on the 7th day： 89.80±26.12 μm vs. 73.08±15.01μm, P〈0.001） （n=12） and number [on the 7th day： 6.33±5.61/high power objective （HP） vs. 2.23±1.61/HP, P〈0.001] （n=12） as compared with those co-cultured with MEF cells. After further differentiation cul- ture for 4 days, NSCs co-cultured with CMECs had an increase in neuronal differentiation rate in OGD and non-OGD groups, but not in the control group （15.16% and 16.07% vs. 8.81%; both P〈0.001） （n=6） This study provided evidence that OGD could not alter the effects of CMECs in promoting the neuronal differentiation potential of NSCs. These findings may have important implications for the development of new cell therapies for cerebral vascular diseases.

Predominating stable adsorption and direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase on carbon nanotubes by oxygen-containing groups

Stable adsorption and direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase （COx） occurred on nitric acid （HNO3）-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubcs （MWNTs） instead of as-received MWNTs, demonstrating the critical roles of oxygen-containing groups in stable adsorption and direct electrochemistry of GOx on carbon nanotubcs （CNTs）.

Activin A prevents neuron-like PC12 cell apoptosis after oxygen-glucose deprivation

In this study, PC12 cells were induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells using nerve growth factor, and were subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation. Cells were treated with 0, 10, 20, 30, 50, 100 ng/mL exogenous Activin A. The 3-（4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl）-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay and Hoechst 33324 staining showed that the survival percentage of PC12 cells significantly decreased and the rate of apoptosis significantly increased after oxygen-glucose deprivation. Exogenous Activin A significantly increased the survival percentage of PC12 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Reverse transcription-PCR results revealed a significant increase in Activin receptor IIA, Smad3 and Smad4 mRNA levels, which are key sites in the Activin A/Smads signaling pathway, in neuron-like cells subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation, while mRNA expression of the apoptosis-regulation gene caspase-3 decreased. Our experimental findings indicate that exogenous Activin A plays an anti-apoptotic role and protects neurons by means of activating the Activin A/Smads signaling pathway.

Proprotein convertase 1/3-mediated down-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in cortical neurons induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)has robust effects on synaptogenesis,neuronal differentiation and synaptic transmission and plasticity.The maturation of BDNF is a complex process.Proprotein convertase 1/3(PC1/3)has a key role in the cleavage of protein precursors that are directed to regulated secretory pathways;however,it is not clear whether PC1/3 mediates the change in BDNF levels caused by ischemia.To clarify the role of PC1/3 in BDNF maturation in ischemic cortical neurons,primary cortical neurons from fetal rats were cultured in a humidified environment of 95%N_2 and 5%CO_2 in a glucose-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium at 37℃for3 hours.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and western blotting showed that after oxygen-glucose deprivation,the secreted and intracellular levels of BDNF were significantly reduced and the intracellular level of PC1/3 was decreased.Transient transfection of cortical neurons with a PC1/3 overexpression plasmid followed by oxygen-glucose deprivation resulted in increased PC1/3 levels and increased BDNF levels.When levels of the BDNF precursor protein were reduced,the concentration of BDNF in the culture medium was increased.These results indicate that PC 1/3 cleavage of BDNF is critical for the conversion of pro-BDNF in rat cortical neurons during ischemia.The study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences.

Shuxuetong injection protects cerebral microvascular endothelial cells against oxygen-glucose deprivation reperfusion

Shuxuetong injection composed of leech(Hirudo nipponica Whitman) and earthworm(Pheretima aspergillum) has been used for the clinical treatment of acute stroke for many years in China. However, the precise neuroprotective mechanism of Shuxuetong injection remains poorly understood. Here, cerebral microvascular endothelial cells(bEnd.3) were incubated in glucose-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 95% N_2/5% CO_2 for 6 hours, followed by high-glucose medium containing 95% O_2 and 5% CO_2 for 18 hours to establish an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion model. This in vitro cell model was administered Shuxuetong injection at 1/32, 1/64, and 1/128 concentrations(diluted 32-, 64-, and 128-times). Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to evaluate cell viability. A fluorescence method was used to measure lactate dehydrogenase, and a fluorescence microplate reader used to detect intracellular reactive oxygen species. A fluorescent probe was also used to measure mitochondrial superoxide production. A cell resistance meter was used to measure transepithelial resistance and examine integrity of monolayer cells. The fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran test was performed to examine blood-brain barrier permeability. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to analyze mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Western blot assay was performed to analyze expression of caspase-3, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, occludin, vascular endothelial growth factor, cleaved caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma 2, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, nuclear factor-κB p65, I kappa B alpha, phosphorylated I kappa B alpha, I kappa B kinase, phosphorylated I kappa B kinase, claudin-5, and zonula occludens-1. Our results show that Shuxuetong injection increases bEnd.3 cell viability and B-cell lymphoma 2 expression, reduces cleaved caspase-3 expression, inhibits production of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide, suppresses expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, markedly increases transepithelial resistance, decreases blood-brain barrier permeability, upregulates claudin-5, occludin, and zonula occludens-1 expression, reduces nuclear factor-κB p65 and vascular endothelial growth factor expression, and reduces I kappa B alpha, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2, and I kappa B kinase phosphorylation levels. Overall, these findings suggest that Shuxuetong injection has protective effects on brain microvascular endothelial cells after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion. Moreover, its protective effect is associated with reduction of mitochondrial superoxide production, inhibition of the inflammatory response, and inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2, and the nuclear factor-κB p65 signaling pathway.

Protective effect of luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucuronide against oxygenglucose deprivation-induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes injury

OBJECTIVE To investigate the protective effect and mechanisms of luteolin-7-O-β-dglucuronide(LGU) on oxygen glucose deprivation(OGD)-induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes injury.METH.ODS The protective effect of LGU on OGD-induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes death were investigated by MTT assay.The microfilament change of H9C2 cardiomyocytes was detected by phalloidin staining and the lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) leakage rate was also detected by LDH kit.In order to explore the possible mechanisms of LGU,ATP content,intracellular Ca^(2+) fluorescent intensity and concentra.tion,mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP)and the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins were detected by ATP kit,CLSM(Fluo-3/AM probe),Ca^(2+) kit,CLSM(JC-1 probe) and western blotting meth.od,respectively.RESULTS The inhibition of H9C2 cardiomyocyte survival rate inducedby OGD was improvedby pretreated with LGU in a concentrationdependent manner.The microfilaments injury as well as the increase of LDH leakage rate were also improvedby pretreated with LGU.The ATP content was significantly decreased,intracellular Ca^(2+) fluorescent intensity and concentration were significantly increased and the MMP was significantly decreased 4 hafter OGD.LGU significantly reversed the de.crease of intracellular ATP content,the increase of Ca^(2+) fluorescent intensity and concentration and the decrease of MMP.The release of cytochrome C,the expressionsof caspase-9 and caspase-3 in H9C2 cardiomyocytes were increased 16 h after OGD.LGUsignificantly inhibited the changes of these apop.tosis-related proteins.CONCLUSION LGU has a significant protective effect against OGD-induced H9C2 cardiomyocytes injury through inhibiting calcium overload,increasing ATP content,improving mi.tochondrial function and inhibiting apoptosis.

Effects of isoflurane and sevoflurane postconditioning and changes in JNK1/2 pathway activity on rat brain slices subjected to oxygen and glucose deprivation in vitro

Recent research shows that the JNK1/2 signaling pathway plays a neuroprotective role against ischemia-reperfusion injury by cross-talk with other pathways.The present study investigated the effects of isoflurane and sevoflurane postconditioning on JNK1/2 pathway activity and neuronal cell viability after oxygen and glucose deprivation injury in hippocampal slices in vitro.Techniques used included population spike analysis,propidium iodide fluorescent staining,western blot assay,and the use of JNK1/2-specific pharmacological tools such as anisomycin （agonist） and SP600125 （inhibitor）.We found that both isoflurane and sevoflurane inhibited JNK pathway activity and had neuroprotective effects against oxygen and glucose deprivation injury in slices of rat hippocampus in vitro.Postconditioning with volatile anesthetics exerted neuroprotective effects on nerve cells and preserved the function of the CA1 region by inhibiting JNK1/2 phosphorylation.This suppression of JNK1/2 activity could underlie the observed synergistic neuroprotective effect produced by volatile anesthetic postconditioning.

Dehydrocostuslactone protects against oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion-induced injury by inhibiting autophagy and apoptosis in PC12 cells

OBJECTIVE TO investigate the neural protection of dehydrocostus lactone(DHL)against neuronal injury induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation/reperfusion(OGD/R)in differentiated PC12 cells.METHODS We used a cellular model of 2 h of OGD and 24 h of reperfusion to mimic cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.Cell viability was used to reflect the degree of OGD/R-induced injury.Cells were treated with DHL during the reperfusion phase.Cell Counting Kit(CCK-8)and LDH assays were performed to determine the optimal dose of DHL and cell viability.Flow cytometry analysis and Monodansylcadaverine(MDC)staining were then conducted to detect apoptosis rate and autophagosome formation after OGD/R in PC12 cells.Immunofluorescence and Western blotting analyses were used to detect the expres⁃sion of proteins associated with autophagy and apoptosis.RESULTS OGD/R significantly decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis rate.The expression levels of autophagy-related proteins,namely,LC3 and Beclin-1,and apoptosisrelated proteins,namely,Bax and caspase-3 increased,but that of the anti-apoptosis Bcl-2 protein decreased.However,DHL attenuated OGD/R-induced neuronal injury through inhibition of apoptosis and autophagy properties by modulating au⁃tophagy-associated proteins(LC3 and Beclin-1)and apoptosis-modulating proteins(caspase-3 and Bcl-2/Bax).CONCLU⁃SION Our data provide an evidence for the neuroprotective effect of DHL against ischemic neuronal injury.Hence,DHL could be a promising candidate for treatment of ischemic stroke.

Curcumin pretreatment and post-treatment both improve the antioxidative ability of neurons with oxygen-glucose deprivation

Recent studies have shown that induced expression of endogenous antioxidative enzymes thr- ough activation of the antioxidant response element/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2） pathway may be a neuroprotective strategy. In this study, rat cerebral cortical neurons cultured in vitro were pretreated with 10 ktM curcumin or post-treated with 5 pM curcumin, respectively before or after being subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation for 24 hours. Both pretreatment and post-treatment resulted in a significant decrease of cell injury as indicated by propidium iodide/Hoechst 33258 staining, a prominent increase of Nrf2 protein expression as indicated by western blot analysis, and a remarkable increase of protein expression and enzyme activity in whole cell lysates of thioredoxin before ischemia, after ischemia, and after reoxygenation. In addition, post-treatment with curcumin inhibited early DNA/RNA oxidation as indicated by immunocytochemistry and increased nuclear Nrf2 protein by inducing nuclear accumulation of Nrf2. These findings suggest that curcumin activates the expression of thi- oredoxin, an antioxidant protein in the Nrf2 pathway, and protects neurons from death caused by oxygen-glucose deprivation in an in vitro model of ischemia/reperfusion. We speculate that pharmacologic stimulation of antioxidant gene expression may be a promising approach to neu- roprotection after cerebral ischemia.

Silencing Huwe1 reduces apoptosis of cortical neurons exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion

HECT, UBA and WWE domain-containing 1(Huwe1), an E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome system, is widely expressed in brain tissue. Huwe1 is involved in the turnover of numerous substrates, including p53, Mcl-1, Cdc6 and N-myc, thereby playing a critical role in apoptosis and neurogenesis. However, the role of Huwe1 in brain ischemia and reperfusion injury remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the role of Huwe1 in an in vitro model of ischemia and reperfusion injury. At 3 days in vitro, primary cortical neurons were transduced with a control or shRNA-Huwe1 lentiviral vector to silence expression of Huwe1. At 7 days in vitro, the cells were exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation for 3 hours and reperfusion for 24 hours. To examine the role of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK)/p38 pathway, cortical neurons were pretreated with a JNK inhibitor(SP600125) or a p38 MAPK inhibitor(SB203508) for 30 minutes at 7 days in vitro, followed by ischemia and reperfusion. Neuronal apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL assay. Protein expression levels of JNK and p38 MAPK and of apoptosis-related proteins(p53, Gadd45 a, cleaved caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2) were measured by western blot assay. Immunofluorescence labeling for cleaved caspase-3 was performed. We observed a significant increase in neuronal apoptosis and Huwe1 expression after ischemia and reperfusion. Treatment with the shRNA-Huwe1 lentiviral vector markedly decreased Huwe1 levels, and significantly decreased the number of TUNEL-positive cells after ischemia and reperfusion. The silencing vector also downregulated the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and cleaved caspase-3, and upregulated the anti-apoptotic proteins Gadd45 a and Bcl-2. Silencing Huwe1 also significantly reduced p-JNK levels and increased p-p38 levels. Our findings show that downregulating Huwe1 affects the JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways as well as the expression of apoptosis-related genes to provide neuroprotection during ischemia and reperfusion. All animal experiments and procedures were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Sichuan University, China in January 2018(approval No. 2018013).