Hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning reduces ischemia-reperfusion injury by stimulating autophagy in neurocyte.

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a complex process resulting in cellular damage and death. Many studies have reported that an ischemic preconditioning could induce protection against ischemic insult. However, the safety concerns and practical feasibility have limited the application of ischemia preconditioning in practice. Subsequently, a number of substances including endotoxin and cytokines etc. have proven effective in inducing ischemic tolerance in the neurocyte. Unfortunately, the application of these substances to the clinical practice of neurosurgery still remains questionable for their toxicity or side effects. Therefore, a novel therapy to protect against cerebral IRI requires further study. Several recent studies confirmed that repeated hyperbaric oxygen preconditioning (HBO-PC) prior to cerebral ischemia or spinal cord ischemia can provide neuroprotection. HBO as a therapeutic measure has been widely accepted for its convenience and safety. However, information about the mechanism of how this neuroprotection works is still very limited. We hypothesize that autophagy induction is involved in HBO-PC induced neuroprotection on IRI in neurocyte. The hypothesis reveals that autophagy may be a new therapeutic target for cerebral IRI.