Liang Yan, Deng Shuoqiu, Li Yu, Qu Shuiqing, Liu Chengcheng, Wang Luqi, Chen Lina, Liu Tuo, Li Yujie
State Key Laboratory for Qualty Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100700, China.
Artemisinin Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Aug 18;26(16):7979. doi: 10.3390/ijms26167979.
Artesunate (AS) and tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) have been proven to have therapeutic potential in ischemic stroke. Nevertheless, their synergistic treatment mechanisms and effectiveness remain unclear. A rat MCAO model was induced, and AS, combined with TMP, was administered intranasally to rats once a day for 3 days. The neurological severity scores, TTC staining, and H&E staining were implemented to analyze tissue injuries. Evans blue staining and immunohistochemistry of ZO-1, occludin, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 were implemented to evaluate the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). ELISA was used to detect the expression levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-10. TUNEL staining and the protein expression of Bax and Bcl-2 were used to evaluate the apoptosis of brain tissue cells. The core targets were predicted by network pharmacology and verified by the OGD/R cell model and siRNA in vitro. Results showed that nasal administration of AS and TMP significantly ameliorated ischemic-stroke-induced neurological dysfunction, BBB disruption, and cortical neuronal apoptosis. The protective mechanisms mainly included adjusting the expression and ratio of tight junction proteins TIMP-1 and MMP-9 in brain tissue, regulating the HIF-1α-VEGF pathway, and anti-inflammatory effects. This study provides experimental support for the further development and application of AS and TMP nasal combinations and provides the foundation for expanding the practical-application value of artemisinin and its derivatives.
青蒿琥酯(AS)和川芎嗪(TMP)已被证明在缺血性卒中具有治疗潜力。然而,它们的协同治疗机制和有效性仍不清楚。诱导大鼠大脑中动脉闭塞(MCAO)模型,将AS与TMP联合,每天经鼻给予大鼠一次,共3天。采用神经功能缺损评分、TTC染色和苏木精-伊红(H&E)染色分析组织损伤。采用伊文思蓝染色以及对紧密连接蛋白1(ZO-1)、闭合蛋白、基质金属蛋白酶-9(MMP-9)和金属蛋白酶组织抑制因子-1(TIMP-1)进行免疫组织化学检测,以评估血脑屏障(BBB)的完整性。采用酶联免疫吸附测定(ELISA)检测炎症因子肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)和白细胞介素-10(IL-10)的表达水平。采用末端脱氧核苷酸转移酶介导的缺口末端标记(TUNEL)染色以及Bax和Bcl-2蛋白表达评估脑组织细胞凋亡。通过网络药理学预测核心靶点,并在体外采用氧糖剥夺/复氧(OGD/R)细胞模型和小干扰RNA(siRNA)进行验证。结果显示,经鼻给予AS和TMP可显著改善缺血性卒中所致的神经功能障碍、血脑屏障破坏和皮质神经元凋亡。其保护机制主要包括调节脑组织中紧密连接蛋白TIMP-1和MMP-9的表达及比例、调节缺氧诱导因子-1α(HIF-1α)-血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)通路以及抗炎作用。本研究为AS和TMP鼻腔联合用药的进一步开发应用提供了实验依据,并为拓展青蒿素及其衍生物的实际应用价值奠定了基础。
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