1. Academic Validation
  2. Combination of Emricasan with Ponatinib Synergistically Reduces Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rat Brain Through Simultaneous Prevention of Apoptosis and Necroptosis

Combination of Emricasan with Ponatinib Synergistically Reduces Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rat Brain Through Simultaneous Prevention of Apoptosis and Necroptosis

  • Transl Stroke Res. 2018 Aug;9(4):382-392. doi: 10.1007/s12975-017-0581-z.
Jing Tian 1 2 Shu Guo 1 Heng Chen 1 Jing-Jie Peng 1 2 Miao-Miao Jia 1 Nian-Sheng Li 1 3 Xiao-Jie Zhang 1 3 Jie Yang 4 Xiu-Ju Luo 5 6 Jun Peng 7 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pharmacology, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China.
  • 2 Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
  • 3 Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China.
  • 4 Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China.
  • 5 Department of Pharmacology, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China. [email protected].
  • 6 Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China. [email protected].
  • 7 Department of Pharmacology, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China. [email protected].
  • 8 Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Research, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410078, China. [email protected].
Abstract

Apoptosis and receptor-interacting protein kinase 1/3(RIPK1/3)-mediated Necroptosis contribute to the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Emricasan is an inhibitor of caspases in clinical trials for liver diseases while ponatinib could be a potential inhibitor for RIPK1/3. This study aims to investigate the effect of emricasan and/or ponatinib on cerebral I/R injury and the underlying mechanisms. Firstly, we evaluated the status of Apoptosis and necroposis in a rat model of cerebral I/R under different conditions, which showed noticeable Apoptosis and Necroptosis under condition of 2-h ischemia and 24-h reperfusion; next, the preventive or therapeutic effect of emricasan or ponatinib on cerebral I/R injury was tested. Administration of emricasan or ponatinib either before or after ischemia could decrease the neurological deficit score and infarct volume; finally, the combined therapeutic effect of emricasan with ponatinib on I/R injury was examined. Combined application of emricasan and ponatinib could further decrease the I/R injury compared to single application. Emricasan decreased the activities of capase-8/-3 in the I/R-treated brain but not the protein levels of necroptosis-relevant proteins: RIPK1, RIPK3, and Mixed Lineage Kinase domain-like (MLKL), whereas ponatinib suppressed the expressions of these proteins but not the activities of capase-8/-3. Combination of emricasan with ponatinib could suppress both capase-8/-3 and necroptosis-relevant proteins. Based on these observations, we conclude that combination of emricasan with ponatinib could synergistically reduce I/R injury in rat brain through simultaneous prevention of Apoptosis and Necroptosis. Our findings might lay a basis on extension of the clinical indications for emricasan and ponatinib in treating ischemic stroke.

Keywords

Apoptosis; Brain; Emricasan; Ischemia/reperfusion; Necroptosis; Ponatinib.

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