Naringenin Protected Against Blood Brain Barrier Breakdown after Ischemic Stroke through GSK-3β/ β-Catenin Pathway

Beta-asarone alleviated cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by targeting PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) describes a secondary type of brain damage that happens when blood flow is restored to brain tissue; it ranks among the primary contributors of disability and mortality. The activation of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy exerts neuroprotective effects during CIRI. Beta-asarone (β-ASA), the principal active component of traditional natural drugs such as Acori tatarinowii rhizoma and Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort, possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and autophagy-enhancing properties. However, whether β-ASA can ameliorate CIRI by regulating the PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy pathway remains unclear and warrants further investigation. The purpose of this study is to explore the underlying mechanism through which β-ASA influences PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy in the hippocampus following ischemia-reperfusion. In the results section, the present study examined the effects of β-ASA on middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R)-induced neurological deficits using the Longa test and TTC staining, rats were then treated with β-ASA (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg.). The findings demonstrate that β-ASA promotes functional recovery in post-ischemic stroke, as evidenced by improved neurological function, reduced infarct volume, decreased neuronal damage, and lowered neuronal apoptosis. Furthermore, β-ASA significantly enhanced autophagy by increasing Beclin1 expression while reducing P62 and LC3-I/LC3-II expression. Additionally, β-ASA markedly activated PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy. Finally, the introduction of mitophagy inhibitors was employed to clarify the relationship between autophagy and β-ASA, indicating that β-ASA promotes autophagy by activating the PINK1/Parkin signalling pathway. In conclusion, this study elucidates that β-ASA alleviates cerebral infarction, neurological impairment, and neuronal damage by targeting PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy, thereby presenting a potential therapeutic strategy for CIRI.

The function of β-catenin and GSK-3β in Procambarus clarkii Wnt signaling pathway during Spiroplasma eriocheiris infection

Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in both the regulation of host innate immunity and the nervous system. In this study, two key genes in the Wnt signaling pathway, β-catenin and GSK-3β, were first characterized from Procambarus clarkii, and significantly upregulated in hemocytes during Spiroplasma eriocheiris infection. At the cellular level, overexpression of Pcβ-catenin in Drosophila S2 cells significantly increased the cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, decreased the cell necrosis and intracellular S. eriocheiris replication, while PcGSK-3β overexpression exerted an opposite effect. The Co-IP results revealed that PcGSK-3β could interact with Pcβ-catenin. Further, co-transfection of PcGSK-3β and Pcβ-catenin into S2 cells markedly reduced the cell survival and ROS level upon S. eriocheiris infection. At the individual level, knockdown of Pcβ-catenin significantly induced the apoptosis of hemocytes and increased the mortality of the crayfish following S. eriocheiris infection. Conversely, PcGSK-3β deficiency significantly elevated the ROS level in hemocytes thereby enhancing the resistance of P. clarkii to S. eriocheiris infection. In conclusion, this study has proved the regulation mechanism of Wnt signaling pathway in response to S. eriocheiris infection, which may contribute to our understanding of innate immunity in invertebrates.

Much More than Nutrients: The Protective Effects of Nutraceuticals on the Blood-Brain Barrier in Diseases

The dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is well described in several diseases, and is considered a pathological factor in many neurological disorders. This review summarizes the most important groups of natural compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, anthocyanidines, carotenoids, lipids, and vitamins that were investigated for their potential protective effects on brain endothelium. The brain penetration of these compounds and their interaction with BBB efflux transporters and solute carriers are discussed. The cerebrovascular endothelium is considered a therapeutic target for natural compounds in diseases. In preclinical studies modeling systemic and central nervous system diseases, nutraceuticals exerted beneficial effects on the BBB. In vivo, they decreased BBB permeability, brain edema, astrocyte swelling, and morphological changes in the vessel structure and basal lamina. At the level of brain endothelial cells, nutraceuticals increased cell survival and decreased apoptosis. From the general endothelial functions, decreased angiogenesis and increased levels of vasodilating agents were demonstrated. From the BBB functions, elevated barrier integrity by tightened intercellular junctions, and increased expression and activity of BBB transporters, such as efflux pumps, solute carriers, and metabolic enzymes, were shown. Nutraceuticals enhanced the antioxidative defense and exerted anti-inflammatory effects at the BBB. The most important signaling changes mediating the increased cell survival and BBB stability were the activation of the WNT, PI3K-AKT, and NRF2 pathways, and inhibition of the MAPK, JNK, ERK, and NF-κB pathways. Nutraceuticals represent a valuable source of new potentially therapeutic molecules to treat brain diseases by protecting the BBB.