2-Methoxystypandrone ameliorates brain function through preserving BBB integrity and promoting neurogenesis in mice with acute ischemic stroke

2-Methoxystypandrone (2-MS), a naphthoquinone, has been shown to display an immunomodulatory effect in a cellular model. To explore whether 2-MS could protect mice against cerebral ischemic/reperfusion (I/R)-induced brain injury, we evaluated 2-MS's protective effects on an acute ischemic stroke by inducing a middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO) injury in murine model. Treatment of mice that have undergone I/R injury with 2-MS (10–100 μg/kg, i.v.) at 2 h after MCAO enhanced survival rate and ameliorated neurological deficits, brain infarction, neural dysfunction and massive oxidative stress, due to an enormous production of free radicals and breakdown of blood–brain barrier (BBB) by I/R injury; this primarily occurred with extensive infiltration of CD11b-positive inflammatory cells and upexpression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 and p65 nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). All of these pathological changes were diminished by 2-MS; 2-MS also intensively limited cortical infarction and promoted upexpression of neurodevelopmental genes near peri-infarct cortex and endogenous neurogenesis near subgranular zone of hippocampal dentate gyrus and the subventricular zone, most possibly by inactivation of GSK3β which in turn upregulating β-catenin, Bcl-2 adam11 and adamts20. We conclude that 2-MS blocks inflammatory responses by impairing NF-κB signaling to limit the inflammation and oxidative stress for preservation of BBB integrity; 2-MS also concomitantly promotes neurodevelopmental protein expression and endogenous neurogenesis through inactivation of GSK3β to enhance β-catenin signaling for upexpression of neuroprotective genes and proteins.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide