Berberine attenuated the cytotoxicity induced by t-BHP via inhibiting oxidative stress and mitochondria dysfunction in PC-12 cells.

Neurodegenerative diseases all share several common features such as involvement of oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in pathogenesis. Oxidative stress induced by overproduction of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) or impairment of the antioxidant deficiency results in mitochondrial dysfunction and initiation of the cell death cascade. Berberine (BBR), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been reported to exert anti-oxidative stress and anti-apoptosis effect in CNS diseases. However, the mechanism of BBR on regulating mitophagy and protecting mitochondrial function under oxidative stress remains unclear. In present study, we evaluated the beneficial effects of BBR on the tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced cytotoxicity. Furthermore, we explored the protective role of BBR in mitochondrial function and mitophagy under oxidative stress in PC-12 cells. Our results demonstrated that BBR effectively inhibited t-BHP-induced apoptosis which is associated with the decreased leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and ROS overproduction. Moreover, BBR significantly suppressed cytochrome c expression, upregulated the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, and ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction by optimizing mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨm) status and ATP production. In addition, BBR reduced the expression of autophagy-specific marker LC3, SQTM1/p62, and maintained lysosome normal function which involved the restoration of upstream signaling pathway AKT and mTOR phosphorylation level. Collectively, these findings suggested that BBR protects PC-12 cells from oxidative injury through inhibiting ROS level, mitochondria dysfunction, and mitophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways, which suggest a potential therapeutic strategy for oxidative stress and neurotoxic damages.

Dl-3n-butylphthalide improves traumatic brain injury recovery via inhibiting autophagy-induced blood-brain barrier disruption and cell apoptosis.

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and neuronal apoptosis are important pathophysiological processes after traumatic brain injury (TBI). In clinical stroke, Dl-3n-butylphthalide (Dl-NBP) has a neuroprotective effect with anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-apoptotic and mitochondrion-protective functions. However, the effect and molecular mechanism of Dl-NBP for TBI need to be further investigated. Here, we had used an animal model of TBI and SH-SY5Y/human brain microvascular endothelial cells to explore it. We found that Dl-NBP administration exerts a neuroprotective effect in TBI/OGD and BBB disorder, which up-regulates the expression of tight junction proteins and promotes neuronal survival via inhibiting mitochondrial apoptosis. The expressions of autophagy-related proteins, including ATG7, Beclin1 and LC3II, were significantly increased after TBI/OGD, and which were reversed by Dl-NBP treatment both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, rapamycin treatment had abolished the effect of Dl-NBP for TBI recovery. Collectively, our current studies indicate that Dl-NBP treatment improved locomotor functional recovery after TBI by inhibiting the activation of autophagy and consequently blocking the junction protein loss and neuronal apoptosis. Dl-NBP, as an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative drug, may act as an effective strategy for TBI recovery.

Therapeutic effect of beta-blocker in patients with traumatic brain injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: ß-Blocker exposure has been shown to reduce mortality in traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, the efficacy of ß-blockers remains inconclusive. Therefore, a meta-analysis was conducted in this paper to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ß-blocker therapy on patients with TBI. METHODS: The electronic databases were systemically retrieved from construction to February 2017. The odds ratio (OR), mean difference (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined. RESULTS: A total of 13 observational cohort studies involving 15,734 cases were enrolled. The results indicated that ß-blocker therapy had remarkably reduced the in-hospital mortality (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.27-0.40; p<0.001). However, ß-blocker therapy was also associated with increased infection rate (OR 2.01; 95% CI 1.50-2.69; p<0.001), longer length of stay (MD=7.40; 95% CI=4.39, 10.41; p<0.001) and ICU stay (MD=3.52; 95% CI=1.56, 5.47; p<0.001). In addition, ß-blocker therapy also led to longer period of ventilator support (MD=2.70; 95% CI=1.81, 3.59; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis demonstrates that ß-blockers are effective in lowering mortality in patients with TBI. However, ß-blocker therapy has markedly increased the infection rate and requires a longer period of ventilator support, intensive care management as well as length of stay.

Acid fibroblast growth factor preserves blood-brain barrier integrity by activating the PI3K-Akt-Rac1 pathway and inhibiting RhoA following traumatic brain injury.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays important roles in the recovery of traumatic brain injury (TBI) which is a major factor contributing to cerebral edema. Acid fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) contributes to maintain vascular integrity and restores nerve function. However, whether aFGF protects BBB following TBI remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether exogenous aFGF preserves BBB integrity by activating the PI3K-Akt-Rac1 pathway and inhibiting RhoA after TBI. BBB permeability was assessed using evans blue dye and fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran fluorescence. Neurofunctional tests, such as the garcia test, were conducted in a blinded fashion, and protein expression was evaluated via western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Our results showed that aFGF improved neurofunctional deficits, preserved BBB integrity, and up-regulated tight junction proteins and adherens junction proteins 24 h after experimental TBI. However, the PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002 reversed the protective effects of aFGF on neurofunctional deficits and junction protein expression and significantly suppressed p-Akt and GTP-Rac1 activity. Furthermore, aFGF administration significantly decreased GTP-RhoA expression in the treated group compared with the vehicle group, while PI3K/Akt inhibition increased GTP-RhoA expression. Similar results were observed in vitro, as aFGF exerted protective effects on endothelial cell integrity by up-regulating junction proteins and PI3K-Akt-Rac1 pathway and down-regulating RhoA expression under oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD) conditions. These data suggest that exogenous aFGF reduces RhoA activity in part by activating the PI3K-Akt-Rac1 signaling pathway, thus improving neurofunctional deficits and preserving BBB integrity after TBI.

Intravenously delivered neural stem cells migrate into ischemic brain, differentiate and improve functional recovery after transient ischemic stroke in adult rats.

Stem cell transplantation may provide an alternative therapy to promote functional recovery after various neurological disorders including cerebral infarct. Due to the minimal immunogenicity and neuronal differentiation potential of neural stem cells (NSCs), we tested whether intravenous administration of mice-derived C17.2 NSCs could improve neurological function deficit and cerebral infarction volume after ischemic stroke in rats. Additionally, we evaluated the survival, migration, proliferation, and differentiation capacity of transplanted NSCs in the rat brain. Intravenous infusion of NSCs after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) showed better performance in neurobiological severity scores after MCAO compared to control. However, the volume of cerebral infarction was not different at 7 days after MCAO compared with control. Transplanted NSCs were detected in the ischemic region but not in the contralateral hemisphere. NSCs differentiated into neurons or astrocytes after MCAO. These data suggest that intravenously transplanted NSCs can migrate, proliferate, and differentiate into neurons and astrocytes in the rat brain with focal ischemia and improve functional recovery.

Fibroblast growth factor 1attenuates 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurotoxicity: an in vitro and in vivo investigation in experimental models of parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system and is characterized by motor system disorders resulting in loss of dopamine producing brain cells. Acidic fibroblast growth factor, also called FGF1, promotes the survival of neurons. The aims of the present study were to confirm FGF1 could protect neurons cultures from 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) toxicity in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrated FGF1 administration improved the motor function recovery, increased the TH-positive neurons survival and up-regulated the levels of neurotransmitters in PD rats. Meanwhile, FGF1 prevents the death of DA neuron at least in part by reducing the levels of α-synuclein and ER stress. The administration of FGF1 activated downstream signals PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2. In conclusion, FGF1 diminished α-synuclein neurotoxicity by down regulating ER stress mediators and the level of apoptosis, and these effects may underlying the activation of the PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signal pathway.