Neuroprotective effect of hypericin on mice after acute cerebral infarction by ameliorating neuron ferroptosis and cuproptosis
10.3760/cma.j.cn115354-20241209-00770
- VernacularTitle:金丝桃素通过改善急性脑梗死后神经元铁死亡及铜死亡发挥神经保护作用的实验研究
- Author:
Guimin JIN
1
;
Tingting DUAN
;
Yuanyuan ZHU
;
Ming YU
;
Yuhao XU
Author Information
1. 江苏大学附属医院神经内科，镇江 212001
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Cerebral infarction;
Hypericin;
Ferroptosis;
Cuproptosis;
Oxidative stress
- From:
Chinese Journal of Neuromedicine
2025;24(2):109-118
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the effect of hypericin (Hyp) on neurologic impairment, ferroptosis and cuproptosis in mice with acute cerebral infarction.Methods:Sixty 8-week old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into sham-operated group, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) group, MCAO+Hyp low-dose treatment group (L-Hyp group), and MCAO+Hyp high-dose treatment group (H-Hyp group), with 15 mice in each group. Intraluminal filament MCAO models in the later 3 groups were established. Saline was given intraperitoneally into the sham-operated group and MCAO group, and Hyp was given intraperitoneally at 0.5 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg into the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group 24 hours after modeling. Twenty-four hours after Hyp, neurologic function was assessed using Garcia score, grip strength test, and fatigue baton test; brain tissue edema was assessed by dry-wet weight method; neuronal necrosis, survival and apoptosis were detected by HE staining, Nissl staining and TUNEL, respectively; ferroptosis and oxidative stress were assessed using iron assay kit, and reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) assay kits; cuproptosis was assessed using copper assay kit and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was evaluated by mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅲ and Ⅳ activity detection kits; morphological changes in neuronal mitochondria after ferroptosis and cuproptosis were observed by electron microscopy; protein expressions of ferroptosis-associated solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), cuproptosis-associated solute carrier family 31 member 1 (SLC31A1), and ferredoxin 1 (FDX1) were detected by Western blotting.Results:(1) Compared with the MCAO group, the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had decreased modified Garcia score and brain water content, increased grip strength and rod-turning time, decreased number of necrotic and apoptotic neurons, increased number of survived neurons, decreased Fe 2+, ROS and MDA levels, increased GSH level and mitochondrial respiratory control rate, and decreased copper content, with significant differences ( P<0.05); and the above changes in the H-Hyp group were more obvious than those in the L-Hyp group, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Compared with the MCAO group, neurons in the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had significantly improved status in mitochondrial shrinkage, vacuolation, reduced cristulation, increased membrane density, ruptured cell membrane, endoplasmic reticulum damage and chromatin disruption ( P<0.05); and the H-Hyp group had signficantly more obvious improvement than the L-Hyp group ( P<0.05). (2) Compared with the MCAO group (0.38±0.09, 0.28±0.05), the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had significantly increased protein expressions of SLC7A11 and GPX4 (0.83±0.11, 0.49±0.06; 1.27±0.08, 0.84±0.04; P<0.05); the H-Hyp group had significantly higher SLC7A11 and GPX4 expressions than the L-Hyp group ( P<0.05). Compared with the MCAO group (2.76±0.17, 0.67±0.07), the L-Hyp group and H-Hyp group had significantly decreased protein expressions of SLC31A1 and FDX1 (1.72±0.07, 0.51±0.05; 1.12±0.06, 0.34±0.05; P<0.05); the H-Hyp group had significantly lower SLC31A1 and FDX1 expressions than the L-Hyp group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Hyp can ameliorate ferroptosis and cuproptosis by regulating the protein expressions of SLC7A11, GPX4, SLC31A1 and FDX1, to alleviate oxidative stress injury in MCAO mice, thereby promoting the recovery of neurological function.
