title: Icariin protects against brain injury by enhancing SIRT1-dependent PGC-1alpha expression in experimental stroke.
abstract: Icariin (ICA) has neuroprotection in oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) neurons by increasing Sirtuin1 (SIRT1). However, little is known about the role of ICA on stroke. SIRT1 is a class III histone deacetylase and activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) which stimulates mitochondrial activity. This study aims to investigate the expression of SIRT1 and PGC-1alpha during ICA's neuroprotection against ischemia. In vivo, behavioral test, infarct size and brain water content were evaluated on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse models treated by ICA/saline. In vitro, primary cortical neurons were tortured by OGD in the presence of ICA or SIRT1 inhibitor III or PGC-1alpha siRNA. Cell viability and mortality were measured by MTT and flow cytometer assay. Knockdown efficiency of PGC-1alpha siRNA was measured by real time PCR. Expressions of SIRT1 and PGC-1alpha were also investigated. In result, neurological scores, infarct size and brain edema were all significantly improved, the cortical expressions of SIRT1 and PGC-1alpha were higher with ICA compared to the control (P < 0.05), and reversed by SIRT1 inhibitor III/PGC-1alpha siRNA. In conclusion, ICA protects against brain ischemic injury by increasing the SIRT1 and PGC-1alpha expression, potentially to be a neuroprotectant for ischemic brain injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, PR China.
authors.forename: Hai-rong
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhong-yuan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-lei
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiao-xin
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Er-guang
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; D011897:Random Allocation; D056564:Sirtuin 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D000071248:Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; C485290:Ppargc1a protein, mouse; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C470545:Sirt1 protein, mouse; D056564:Sirtuin 1; C056599:icariin