Analysis of brain and blood single-cell transcriptomics in acute and subacute phases after experimental stroke.

Cerebral ischemia triggers a powerful inflammatory reaction involving peripheral leukocytes and brain resident cells that contribute to both tissue injury and repair. However, their dynamics and diversity remain poorly understood. To address these limitations, we performed a single-cell transcriptomic study of brain and blood cells 2 or 14 days after ischemic stroke in mice. We observed a strong divergence of post-ischemic microglia, monocyte-derived macrophages and neutrophils over time, while endothelial cells and brain-associated macrophages showed altered transcriptomic signatures at 2 days poststroke. Trajectory inference predicted the in situ trans-differentiation of macrophages from blood monocytes into day 2 and day 14 phenotypes, while neutrophils were projected to be continuously de novo recruited from the blood. Brain single-cell transcriptomes from both female and male aged mice were similar to that of young male mice, but aged and young brains differed in their immune cell composition. Although blood leukocyte analysis also revealed altered transcriptomes after stroke, brain-infiltrating leukocytes displayed higher transcriptomic divergence than their circulating counterparts, indicating that phenotypic diversification occurs within the brain in the early and recovery phases of ischemic stroke. A portal ( https://anratherlab.shinyapps.io/strokevis/ ) is provided to allow user-friendly access to our data.

Endothelial S1P1 Signaling Counteracts Infarct Expansion in Ischemic Stroke.

RATIONALE: Cerebrovascular function is critical for brain health, and endogenous vascular protective pathways may provide therapeutic targets for neurological disorders. S1P (Sphingosine 1-phosphate) signaling coordinates vascular functions in other organs, and S1P1 (S1P receptor-1) modulators including fingolimod show promise for the treatment of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. However, S1P1 also coordinates lymphocyte trafficking, and lymphocytes are currently viewed as the principal therapeutic target for S1P1 modulation in stroke. OBJECTIVE: To address roles and mechanisms of engagement of endothelial cell S1P1 in the naive and ischemic brain and its potential as a target for cerebrovascular therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using spatial modulation of S1P provision and signaling, we demonstrate a critical vascular protective role for endothelial S1P1 in the mouse brain. With an S1P1 signaling reporter, we reveal that abluminal polarization shields S1P1 from circulating endogenous and synthetic ligands after maturation of the blood-neural barrier, restricting homeostatic signaling to a subset of arteriolar endothelial cells. S1P1 signaling sustains hallmark endothelial functions in the naive brain and expands during ischemia by engagement of cell-autonomous S1P provision. Disrupting this pathway by endothelial cell-selective deficiency in S1P production, export, or the S1P1 receptor substantially exacerbates brain injury in permanent and transient models of ischemic stroke. By contrast, profound lymphopenia induced by loss of lymphocyte S1P1 provides modest protection only in the context of reperfusion. In the ischemic brain, endothelial cell S1P1 supports blood-brain barrier function, microvascular patency, and the rerouting of blood to hypoperfused brain tissue through collateral anastomoses. Boosting these functions by supplemental pharmacological engagement of the endothelial receptor pool with a blood-brain barrier penetrating S1P1-selective agonist can further reduce cortical infarct expansion in a therapeutically relevant time frame and independent of reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides genetic evidence to support a pivotal role for the endothelium in maintaining perfusion and microvascular patency in the ischemic penumbra that is coordinated by S1P signaling and can be harnessed for neuroprotection with blood-brain barrier-penetrating S1P1 agonists.

Role of microglial and endothelial CD36 in post-ischemic inflammasome activation and interleukin-1ß-induced endothelial activation.

Cerebral ischemia is associated with an acute inflammatory response that contributes to the resulting injury. The innate immunity receptor CD36, expressed in microglia and endothelium, and the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) are involved in the mechanisms of ischemic injury. Since CD36 has been implicated in activation of the inflammasome, the main source of IL-1ß, we investigated whether CD36 mediates brain injury through the inflammasome and IL-1ß. We found that active caspase-1, a key inflammasome component, is decreased in microglia of CD36-deficient mice subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion, an effect associated with a reduction in brain IL-1ß. Conditional deletion of CD36 either in microglia or endothelium reduced ischemic injury in mice, attesting to the pathogenic involvement of CD36 in both cell types. Application of an ischemic brain extract to primary brain endothelial cell cultures from wild type (WT) mice induced IL-1ß-dependent endothelial activation, reflected by increases in the cytokine colony stimulating factor-3, a response markedly attenuated in CD36-deficient endothelia. Similarly, the increase in colony stimulating factor-3 induced by recombinant IL-1ß was attenuated in CD36-deficient compared to WT endothelia. We conclude that microglial CD36 is a key determinant of post-ischemic IL-1ß production by regulating caspase-1 activity, whereas endothelial CD36 is required for the full expression of the endothelial activation induced by IL-1ß. The data identify microglial and endothelial CD36 as critical upstream components of the acute inflammatory response to cerebral ischemia and viable putative therapeutic targets.

Endogenous Protection from Ischemic Brain Injury by Preconditioned Monocytes.

Exposure to low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) before cerebral ischemia is neuroprotective in stroke models, a phenomenon termed preconditioning (PC). Although it is well established that LPS-PC induces central and peripheral immune responses, the cellular mechanisms modulating ischemic injury remain unclear. Here, we investigated the role of immune cells in the brain protection afforded by PC and tested whether monocytes may be reprogrammed by ex vivo LPS exposure, thus modulating inflammatory injury after cerebral ischemia in male mice. We found that systemic injection of low-dose LPS induces a Ly6Chi monocyte response that protects the brain after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in mice. Remarkably, adoptive transfer of monocytes isolated from preconditioned mice into naive mice 7 h after transient MCAO reduced brain injury. Gene expression and functional studies showed that IL-10, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and CCR2 in monocytes are essential for neuroprotection. This protective activity was elicited even if mouse or human monocytes were exposed ex vivo to LPS and then injected into male mice after stroke. Cell-tracking studies showed that protective monocytes are mobilized from the spleen and reach the brain and meninges, where they suppress postischemic inflammation and neutrophil influx into the brain parenchyma. Our findings unveil a previously unrecognized subpopulation of splenic monocytes capable of protecting the brain with an extended therapeutic window and provide the rationale for cell therapies based on the delivery of autologous or allogeneic protective monocytes in patients after ischemic stroke.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Inflammation is a key component of the pathophysiology of the brain in stroke, a leading cause of death and disability with limited therapeutic options. Here, we investigate endogenous mechanisms of protection against cerebral ischemia. Using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) preconditioning (PC) as an approach to induce ischemic tolerance in mice, we found generation of neuroprotective monocytes within the spleen, from which they traffic to the brain and meninges, suppressing postischemic inflammation. Importantly, systemic LPS-PC can be mimicked by adoptive transfer of in vitro-preconditioned mouse or human monocytes at translational relevant time points after stroke. This model of neuroprotection may facilitate clinical efforts to increase the efficacy of BM mononuclear cell treatments in acute neurological diseases such as cerebral ischemia.

Brain Perivascular Macrophages Initiate the Neurovascular Dysfunction of Alzheimer Aß Peptides.

RATIONALE: Increasing evidence indicates that alterations of the cerebral microcirculation may play a role in Alzheimer disease, the leading cause of late-life dementia. The amyloid-ß peptide (Aß), a key pathogenic factor in Alzheimer disease, induces profound alterations in neurovascular regulation through the innate immunity receptor CD36 (cluster of differentiation 36), which, in turn, activates a Nox2-containing NADPH oxidase, leading to cerebrovascular oxidative stress. Brain perivascular macrophages (PVM) located in the perivascular space, a major site of brain Aß collection and clearance, are juxtaposed to the wall of intracerebral resistance vessels and are a powerful source of reactive oxygen species. OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that PVM are the main source of reactive oxygen species responsible for the cerebrovascular actions of Aß and that CD36 and Nox2 in PVM are the molecular substrates of the effect. METHODS AND RESULTS: Selective depletion of PVM using intracerebroventricular injection of clodronate abrogates the reactive oxygen species production and cerebrovascular dysfunction induced by Aß applied directly to the cerebral cortex, administered intravascularly, or overproduced in the brain of transgenic mice expressing mutated forms of the amyloid precursor protein (Tg2576 mice). In addition, using bone marrow chimeras, we demonstrate that PVM are the cells expressing CD36 and Nox2 responsible for the dysfunction. Thus, deletion of CD36 or Nox2 from PVM abrogates the deleterious vascular effects of Aß, whereas wild-type PVM reconstitute the vascular dysfunction in CD36-null mice. CONCLUSIONS: The data identify PVM as a previously unrecognized effector of the damaging neurovascular actions of Aß and unveil a new mechanism by which brain-resident innate immune cells and their receptors may contribute to the pathobiology of Alzheimer disease.

Endothelial CD36 Contributes to Postischemic Brain Injury by Promoting Neutrophil Activation via CSF3.

The scavenger receptor CD36 is a critical factor initiating ischemic brain injury, but the cell type(s) expressing CD36 and responsible for its harmful effects remain unknown. Using bone marrow (BM) chimeras subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion, we found that CD36(-/-) mice transplanted with wild-type (WT) BM (WT→CD36(-/-)) have smaller infarcts (-67%), comparable with those of mice lacking CD36 both in brain and hematogenous cells (CD36(-/-) →CD36(-/-); - 72%). Conversely, WT mice receiving CD36(-/-) BM (CD36(-/-) →WT) have infarcts similar to WT→WT mice, suggesting that CD36 in the host brain (i.e., in microglia and endothelial cells), and not in hematogenous cells is involved in the damage. As anticipated, postischemic neutrophil infiltration in CD36(-/-) →CD36(-/-) mice was attenuated. Surprisingly, however, in WT→CD36(-/-) mice, in which infarcts were small, neutrophil infiltration was large and similar to that of CD36(-/-) →WT mice, in which infarcts were not reduced. Postischemic neutrophil free radical production was attenuated in WT→CD36(-/-) mice compared with CD36(-/-) →WT mice, whereas expression of the neutrophil activator colony-stimulating factor 3 (CSF3) was suppressed in CD36(-/-) cerebral endothelial cells, but not microglia. In CD36(-/-) cerebral endothelial cultures exposed to extracts from stroke brains, the upregulation of CSF3, but not neutrophil attractant chemokines, was suppressed. Intracerebroventricular administration of CSF3, 24 h after stroke, reconstituted neutrophil radical production and increased infarct volume in WT→CD36(-/-) mice. The findings identify endothelial cells as a key player in the deleterious effects of CD36 in stroke, and unveil a novel role of endothelial CD36 in enabling neutrophil neurotoxicity through CSF3. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide with limited therapeutic options. The inflammatory response initiated by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion contributes to ischemic brain injury and is a potential therapeutic target. Here we report that CD36, an innate immunity receptor involved in the initiation of postischemic inflammation, is a previously unrecognized regulator of neutrophil cytotoxicity. The effect is mediated by endothelial CD36 via upregulation of the neutrophil activator CSF3 in cerebral endothelial cells. Therefore, approaches to modulate cerebral endothelial CD36 signaling or to neutralize CSF3 may provide novel therapeutic opportunities to ameliorate postischemic inflammatory injury.

Spatio-temporal profile, phenotypic diversity, and fate of recruited monocytes into the post-ischemic brain.

BACKGROUND: A key feature of the inflammatory response after cerebral ischemia is the brain infiltration of blood monocytes. There are two main monocyte subsets in the mouse blood: CCR2+Ly6Chi "inflammatory" monocytes involved in acute inflammation, and CX3CR1+Ly6Clo "patrolling" monocytes, which may play a role in repair processes. We hypothesized that CCR2+Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes are recruited in the early phase after ischemia and transdifferentiate into CX3CR1+Ly6Clo "repair" macrophages in the brain. METHODS: CX3CR1GFP/+CCR2RFP/+ bone marrow (BM) chimeric mice underwent transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). Mice were sacrificed from 1 to 28 days later to phenotype and map subsets of infiltrating monocytes/macrophages (Mo/MΦ) in the brain over time. Flow cytometry analysis 3 and 14 days after MCAo in CCR2-/- mice, which exhibit deficient monocyte recruitment after inflammation, and NR4A1-/- BM chimeric mice, which lack circulating CX3CR1+Ly6Clo monocytes, was also performed. RESULTS: Brain mapping of CX3CR1GFP/+ and CCR2RFP/+ cells 3 days after MCAo showed absence of CX3CR1GFP/+ Mo/MΦ but accumulation of CCR2RFP/+ Mo/MΦ throughout the ischemic territory. On the other hand, CX3CR1+ cells accumulated 14 days after MCAo at the border of the infarct core where CCR2RFP/+ accrued. Whereas the amoeboid morphology of CCR2RFP/+ Mo/MΦ remained unchanged over time, CX3CR1GFP/+ cells exhibited three distinct phenotypes: amoeboid cells with retracted processes, ramified cells, and perivascular elongated cells. CX3CR1GFP/+ cells were positive for the Mo/MΦ marker Iba1 and phenotypically distinct from endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, pericytes, neurons, astrocytes, or oligodendrocytes. Because accumulation of CX3CR1+Ly6Clo Mo/MΦ was absent in the brains of CCR2 deficient mice, which exhibit deficiency in CCR2+Ly6Chi Mo/MΦ recruitment, but not in NR4A1-/- chimeric mice, which lack of circulating CX3CR1+Ly6Clo monocytes, our data suggest a local transition of CCR2+Ly6Chi Mo/MΦ into CX3CR1+Ly6Clo Mo/MΦ phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: CX3CR1+Ly6Clo arise in the brain parenchyma from CCR2+Ly6Chi Mo/MΦ rather than being de novo recruited from the blood. These findings provide new insights into the trafficking and phenotypic diversity of monocyte subtypes in the post-ischemic brain.

Inducible nitric oxide synthase in neutrophils and endothelium contributes to ischemic brain injury in mice.

NO produced by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) contributes to ischemic brain injury, but the cell types expressing iNOS and mediating tissue damage have not been elucidated. To examine the relative contribution of iNOS in resident brain cells and peripheral leukocytes infiltrating the ischemic brain, we used bone marrow (BM) chimeric mice in which the middle cerebral artery was occluded and infarct volume was determined 3 d later. iNOS(-/-) mice engrafted with iNOS(+/+) BM exhibited larger infarcts (44 ± 2 mm(3); n = 13; mean ± SE) compared with autologous transplanted iNOS(-/-) mice (24 ± 3 mm(3); n = 10; p < 0.01), implicating blood-borne leukocytes in the damage. Furthermore, iNOS(+/+) mice transplanted with iNOS(-/-) BM had large infarcts (39 ± 6 mm(3); n = 13), similar to those of autologous transplanted iNOS(+/+) mice (39 ± 4 mm(3); n = 14), indicating the resident brain cells also play a role. Flow cytometry and cell sorting revealed that iNOS is highly expressed in neutrophils and endothelium but not microglia. Surprisingly, postischemic iNOS expression was enhanced in the endothelium of iNOS(+/+) mice transplanted with iNOS(-/-) BM and in leukocytes of iNOS(-/-) mice with iNOS(+/+) BM, suggesting that endothelial iNOS suppresses iNOS expression in leukocytes and vice versa. To provide independent evidence that neutrophils mediate brain injury, neutrophils were isolated and transferred to mice 24 h after stroke. Consistent with the result in chimeric mice, transfer of iNOS(+/+), but not iNOS(-/-), neutrophils into iNOS(-/-) mice increased infarct volume. The findings establish that iNOS in both neutrophils and endothelium mediates tissue damage and identify these cell types as putative therapeutic targets for stroke injury.

Progranulin deficiency promotes post-ischemic blood-brain barrier disruption.

Loss-of-function mutations of progranulin (PGRN) have been linked to frontotemporal dementia, but little is known about the effects of PGRN deficiency on the brain in health and disease. PGRN has been implicated in neurovascular development, inflammation, and Wnt signaling, a pathway involved in the formation of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Because BBB alterations and inflammation contribute to ischemic brain injury, we examined the role of PGRN in the brain damage produced by ischemia-reperfusion. PGRN(+/-) and PGRN(-/-) mice underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with monitoring of cerebral blood flow. Infarct volume and motor deficits were assessed 72 h later. Post-ischemic inflammation was examined by expression of inflammatory genes and flow cytometry. BBB structure and permeability were examined by electron microscopy (EM) and Evans blue (EB) extravasation, respectively. MCAO resulted in ~60% larger infarcts in PGRN(+/-) and PGRN(-/-) mice, an effect independent of hemodynamic factors or post-ischemic inflammation. Rather, massive hemorrhages and post-ischemic BBB disruption were observed, unrelated to degradation of tight junction (TJ) proteins or matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). By EM, TJ were 30-52% shorter, fewer, and less interlocking, suggesting a weaker seal between endothelial cells. Intracerebral injection of platelet-derived growth factor-CC (PDGF-CC), which increases BBB permeability, resulted in a more severe BBB breakdown in PGRN(+/-) and PGRN(-/-) than wild-type mice. We describe a previously unrecognized involvement of PGRN in the expression of key ultrastructural features of the BBB. Such a novel vasoprotective role of PGRN may contribute to brain dysfunction and damage in conditions associated with reduced PGRN function.

Brain proteomics identifies potential simvastatin targets in acute phase of stroke in a rat embolic model.

Finding an efficient neuroprotectant is of urgent need in the field of stroke research. The goal of this study was to test the effect of acute simvastatin administration after stroke in a rat embolic model and to explore its mechanism of action through brain proteomics. To that end, male Wistar rats were subjected to a Middle Cerebral Arteria Occlusion and simvastatin (20 mg/kg s.c) (n = 11) or vehicle (n = 9) were administered 15 min after. To evaluate the neuroprotective mechanisms of simvastatin, brain homogenates after 48 h were analyzed by two-dimensional fluorescence Difference in Gel Electrophoresis (DIGE) technology. We confirmed that simvastatin reduced the infarct volume and improved neurological impairment at 48 h after the stroke in this model. Considering our proteomics analysis, 66 spots, which revealed significant differences between groups, were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry allowing the identification of 27 proteins. From these results, we suggest that simvastatin protective effect can be partly explained by the attenuation of the oxidative and stress response at blood-brain barrier level after cerebral ischemia. Interestingly, analyzing one of the proteins (HSP75) in plasma from stroke patients who had received simvastatin during the acute phase, we confirmed the results found in the pre-clinical model. Our aim was to study statins benefits when administered during the acute phase of stroke and to explore its mechanisms of action through brain proteomics assay. Using an embolic model, simvastatin-treated rats showed significant infarct volume reduction and neurological improvement compared to vehicle-treated group. Analyzing their homogenated brains by two-dimensional fluorescence Difference in Gel Electrophoresis (DIGE) technology, we concluded that the protective effect of simvastatin can be attributable to oxidative stress response attenuation and blood-brain barrier protection after cerebral ischemia.

Molecular and Functional Alterations in the Cerebral Microvasculature in an Optimized Mouse Model of Sepsis-Associated Cognitive Dysfunction.

Systemic inflammation has been implicated in the development and progression of neurodegenerative conditions such as cognitive impairment and dementia. Recent clinical studies indicate an association between sepsis, endothelial dysfunction, and cognitive decline. However, the investigations of the role and therapeutic potential of the cerebral microvasculature in sepsis-induced cognitive dysfunction have been limited by the lack of standardized experimental models for evaluating the alterations in the cerebral microvasculature and cognition induced by the systemic inflammatory response. Herein, we validated a mouse model of endotoxemia that recapitulates key pathophysiology related to sepsis-induced cognitive dysfunction, including the induction of an acute systemic hyperinflammatory response, blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage, neurovascular inflammation, and memory impairment after recovery from the systemic inflammation. In the acute phase, we identified novel molecular (e.g., upregulation of plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein, PLVAP, a driver of endothelial permeability, and the procoagulant plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, PAI-1) and functional perturbations (i.e., albumin and small-molecule BBB leakage) in the cerebral microvasculature along with neuroinflammation. Remarkably, small-molecule BBB permeability, elevated levels of PAI-1, intra-/perivascular fibrin/fibrinogen deposition, and microglial activation persisted 1 month after recovery from sepsis. We also highlight molecular neuronal alterations of potential clinical relevance following systemic inflammation including changes in neurofilament phosphorylation and decreases in postsynaptic density protein 95 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, suggesting diffuse axonal injury, synapse degeneration, and impaired neurotrophism. Our study serves as a standardized mouse model to support future mechanistic studies of sepsis-associated cognitive dysfunction and to identify novel endothelial therapeutic targets for this devastating condition.

Molecular and functional alterations in the cerebral microvasculature in an optimized mouse model of sepsis-associated cognitive dysfunction.

Systemic inflammation has been implicated in the development and progression of neurodegenerative conditions such as cognitive impairment and dementia. Recent clinical studies indicate an association between sepsis, endothelial dysfunction, and cognitive decline. However, the investigations of the role and therapeutic potential of the cerebral microvasculature in systemic inflammation-induced cognitive dysfunction have been limited by the lack of standardized experimental models for evaluating the alterations in the cerebral microvasculature and cognition induced by the systemic inflammatory response. Herein, we validated a mouse model of endotoxemia that recapitulates key pathophysiology related to sepsis-induced cognitive dysfunction, including the induction of an acute systemic hyperinflammatory response, blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage, neurovascular inflammation, and memory impairment after recovery from the systemic inflammatory response. In the acute phase, we identified novel molecular (e.g. upregulation of plasmalemma vesicle associated protein, a driver of endothelial permeability, and the pro-coagulant plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, PAI-1) and functional perturbations (i.e., albumin and small molecule BBB leakage) in the cerebral microvasculature along with neuroinflammation. Remarkably, small molecule BBB permeability, elevated levels of PAI-1, intra/perivascular fibrin/fibrinogen deposition and microglial activation persisted 1 month after recovery from sepsis. We also highlight molecular neuronal alterations of potential clinical relevance following systemic inflammation including changes in neurofilament phosphorylation and decreases in postsynaptic density protein 95 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor suggesting diffuse axonal injury, synapse degeneration and impaired neurotrophism. Our study serves as a standardized model to support future mechanistic studies of sepsis-associated cognitive dysfunction and to identify novel endothelial therapeutic targets for this devastating condition. SIGNIFICANCE: The limited knowledge of how systemic inflammation contributes to cognitive decline is a major obstacle to the development of novel therapies for dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. Clinical evidence supports a role for the cerebral microvasculature in sepsis-induced neurocognitive dysfunction, but the investigation of the underlying mechanisms has been limited by the lack of standardized experimental models. Herein, we optimized a mouse model that recapitulates important pathophysiological aspects of systemic inflammation-induced cognitive decline and identified key alterations in the cerebral microvasculature associated with cognitive dysfunction. Our study provides a reliable experimental model for mechanistic studies and therapeutic discovery of the impact of systemic inflammation on cerebral microvascular function and the development and progression of cognitive impairment.

Immune compartments at the brain's borders in health and neurovascular diseases.

Recent evidence implicates cranial border immune compartments in the meninges, choroid plexus, circumventricular organs, and skull bone marrow in several neuroinflammatory and neoplastic diseases. Their pathogenic importance has also been described for cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and stroke. In this review, we will examine the cellular composition of these cranial border immune niches, the potential pathways through which they might interact, and the evidence linking them to cardiovascular disease.

Brain and blood single-cell transcriptomics in acute and subacute phases after experimental stroke.

Cerebral ischemia triggers a powerful inflammatory reaction involving both peripheral leukocytes and brain resident cells. Recent evidence indicates that their differentiation into a variety of functional phenotypes contributes to both tissue injury and repair. However, the temporal dynamics and diversity of post-stroke immune cell subsets remain poorly understood. To address these limitations, we performed a longitudinal single-cell transcriptomic study of both brain and mouse blood to obtain a composite picture of brain-infiltrating leukocytes, circulating leukocytes, microglia and endothelium diversity over the ischemic/reperfusion time. Brain cells and blood leukocytes isolated from mice 2 or 14 days after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion or sham surgery were purified by FACS sorting and processed for droplet-based single-cell transcriptomics. The analysis revealed a strong divergence of post-ischemic microglia, macrophages, and neutrophils over time, while such diversity was less evident in dendritic cells, B, T and NK cells. Conversely, brain endothelial cells and brain associated-macrophages showed altered transcriptomic signatures at 2 days post-stroke, but low divergence from sham at day 14. Pseudotime trajectory inference predicted the in-situ longitudinal progression of monocyte-derived macrophages from their blood precursors into day 2 and day 14 phenotypes, while microglia phenotypes at these two time points were not connected. In contrast to monocyte-derived macrophages, neutrophils were predicted to be continuously de-novo recruited from the blood. Brain single-cell transcriptomics from both female and male aged mice did not show major changes in respect to young mice, but aged and young brains differed in their immune cell composition. Furthermore, blood leukocyte analysis also revealed altered transcriptomes after stroke. However, brain-infiltrating leukocytes displayed higher transcriptomic divergence than their circulating counterparts, indicating that phenotypic diversification into cellular subsets occurs within the brain in the early and the recovery phase of ischemic stroke. In addition, this resource report contains a searchable database https://anratherlab.shinyapps.io/strokevis/ to allow user-friendly access to our data. The StrokeVis tool constitutes a comprehensive gene expression atlas that can be interrogated at the gene and cell type level to explore the transcriptional changes of endothelial and immune cell subsets from mouse brain and blood after stroke.

A preclinical randomized controlled multi-centre trial of anti-interleukin-17A treatment for acute ischaemic stroke.

Multiple consensus statements have called for preclinical randomized controlled trials to improve translation in stroke research. We investigated the efficacy of an interleukin-17A neutralizing antibody in a multi-centre preclinical randomized controlled trial using a murine ischaemia reperfusion stroke model. Twelve-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to 45 min of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in four centres. Mice were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either an anti-interleukin-17A (500 µg) or isotype antibody (500 µg) intravenously 1 h after reperfusion. The primary endpoint was infarct volume measured by magnetic resonance imaging three days after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Secondary analysis included mortality, neurological score, neutrophil infiltration and the impact of the gut microbiome on treatment effects. Out of 136 mice, 109 mice were included in the analysis of the primary endpoint. Mixed model analysis revealed that interleukin-17A neutralization significantly reduced infarct sizes (anti-interleukin-17A: 61.77 ± 31.04 mm3; IgG control: 75.66 ± 34.79 mm3; P = 0.01). Secondary outcome measures showed a decrease in mortality (hazard ratio = 3.43, 95% confidence interval = 1.157-10.18; P = 0.04) and neutrophil invasion into ischaemic cortices (anti-interleukin-17A: 7222 ± 6108 cells; IgG control: 28 153 ± 23 206 cells; P < 0.01). There was no difference in Bederson score. The analysis of the gut microbiome showed significant heterogeneity between centres (R = 0.78, P < 0.001, n = 40). Taken together, neutralization of interleukin-17A in a therapeutic time window resulted in a significant reduction of infarct sizes and mortality compared with isotype control. It suggests interleukin-17A neutralization as a potential therapeutic target in stroke.

Citicoline in pre-clinical animal models of stroke: a meta-analysis shows the optimal neuroprotective profile and the missing steps for jumping into a stroke clinical trial.

The neuroprotective actions of citicoline have been documented for experimental stroke therapy. We used a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess this evidence. From 64 identified studies using citicoline in stroke animal models, only those describing ischemic occlusive stroke and reporting data on infarct volume and/or neurological outcome were included (14 studies, 522 animals). Overall, the quality of the studies was modest (5, 4-6), while the absence of studies involving animals with co-morbidities, females, old animals or strain differences indicated that studies did not fulfill the STAIR recommendations. Weighted mean difference meta-analysis showed citicoline to reduce infarct volume by 27.8% [(19.9%, 35.6%); p < 0.001]. In the stratified analysis, citicoline effect on reducing infarct volume was higher in proximal occlusive models of middle cerebral artery (MCA) compared with distal occlusion. Moreover, the efficacy was superior using multiple doses than single dose and when a co-treatment was administered compared with citicoline monotherapy, the only independent factor identified in the meta-regression. Citicoline improved neurological deficit by 20.2% [(6.8%, 33.7%); p = 0.015], but only four studies including 176 animals reported these data. In conclusion, this meta-analysis provides evidence of citicoline efficacy in stroke animal models and shows the optimal neuroprotective profile and the missing experimental requirements before jumping into clinical trials.

Evidence for the efficacy of statins in animal stroke models: a meta-analysis.

Protective effects of statins have been well documented for stroke therapy. Here, we used a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess these evidences. We identified 190 studies using statin treatment in stroke animal models by electronic searching. From those, only studies describing ischemic occlusive stroke and reporting data on infarct volume and/or neurological outcome were included in the analysis (41 publications, 1882 animals). The global estimate effect was assessed by Weighted Mean Difference meta-analysis. Statins reduced infarct volume by 25.12% (20.66%-29.58%, P < 0.001) and consistently, induced an improvement on neurological outcome (20.36% (14.17%-26.56%), P < 0.001). Stratified analysis showed that simvastatin had the greatest effect on infarct volume reduction (38.18%) and neurological improvement (22.94%), whereas bigger infarct reduction was observed giving the statin as a pre-treatment (33.5%) compared with post-treatment (16.02%). The use of pentobarbital sodium, the timing of statin administration, the statement of conflict of interest and the type of statin studied were found to be independent factors in the meta-regression, indicating their influence on the results of studies examining statin treatment. In conclusion, this meta-analysis provides further evidences of the efficacy of statins, supporting their potential use for human stroke therapy.

A new method for focal transient cerebral ischaemia by distal compression of the middle cerebral artery.

AIMS: Rodent experimental models are essential for in vivo study of stroke. Our aim was to develop a reproducible method of mouse transient focal cerebral ischaemia by distal artery compression. METHODS: The distal middle cerebral artery (dMCA) was occluded by compression with a blunted needle, and cerebral blood flow was monitored by laser Doppler flowmetry to ensure appropriate occlusion and reperfusion in Balb/c mice. The ischaemic lesion was evaluated 24 h after occlusion by TTC staining and immunolabelling (NeuN, CD31, GFAP and Iba-1) while the established permanent dMCA occlusion (dMCAO) model was used as a control. The corner test was performed to evaluate neurological behaviour. RESULTS: Laser Doppler flowmetry register showed a homogenous arterial occlusion among animals. Forty-five minutes of arterial occlusion did not lead brain infarction when evaluated by TTC staining 24 h after occlusion. Extending the cerebral ischaemia period to 60 min induced a cortically localized homogeneous brain infarct. No differences in infarct volume were detected between animals submitted to permanent or 60-min transient dMCAO (42.33 ± 9.88 mm³ and 37.63 ± 12.09 mm³ respectively). The ischaemic injury was confirmed by immunohistochemistry in the 60-min transient dMCAO model but not in the 45-min model. Neurological deficits assessed with the corner test were significant only during the first 48 h but not at long term. CONCLUSIONS: This work shows an easy-to-perform method for the induction of brain ischaemia and reperfusion to assess stroke repair and treatment screening, with cortically localized ischaemic cell damage, low mortality and neurological impairment in the acute phase.

VAP-1/SSAO plasma activity and brain expression in human hemorrhagic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is a cell surface and circulating enzyme that belongs to the semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) family, which oxidatively deaminates primary amines and is implicated in leukocyte extravasation. Our aim was to investigate the alteration of soluble VAP-1/SSAO activity in plasma samples after acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and its presence in human ICH brain tissue. METHODS: VAP-1/SSAO activity was determined in plasma of 66 ICH patients and 58 healthy controls. In addition, we assessed the expression of VAP-1/SSAO in postmortem brain tissue from hemorrhagic stroke patients by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: We observed significantly higher levels of plasma VAP-1/SSAO activity in patients with ICH compared to matched elderly controls (p = 0.001). Plasma VAP-1/SSAO activity <2.7 pmol/min·mg and baseline ICH volume <17 ml were independent predictors of neurological improvement after 48 h (OR 6.8, 95% CI 1.14-41.67, p = 0.035, and OR 10.64, 95% CI 1.1-100, p = 0.041, respectively), after adjustment for baseline stroke severity. We also found that membrane-bound VAP-1/SSAO levels were lower in the perihematoma region than in the corresponding contralateral brain areas of patients deceased due to ICH (p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that plasma VAP-1/SSAO activity is increased in ICH and predicts neurological outcome, suggesting a possible contribution of the soluble protein in secondary brain damage. Furthermore, anti-VAP-1/SSAO strategies might be a promising approach to prevent neurological worsening following ICH.