Inhibition of cysteine cathepsin B and L activation in astrocytes contributes to neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia via blocking the tBid-mitochondrial apoptotic signaling pathway.

The roles of cathepsins in the ischemic astrocytic injury remain unclear. Here, we test the hypothesis that activation of cathepsin B and L contributes to the ischemic astrocyte injury via the tBid-mitochondrial apoptotic signaling pathways. In the rat models of pMCAO, CA-074Me or Clik148, a selective inhibitor of cathepsin B or cathepsin L, reduced the infarct volume, improved the neurological deficits and increased the MAP2 and GFAP levels. In OGD-induced astrocyte injury, CA-074Me or Clik148 decreased the LDH leakage and increased the GFAP levels. In the ischemic cortex or OGD-induced astrocytes injury, Clik148 or CA-074Me reversed pMCAO or OGD-induced increase in active cathepsin L or cathepsin B at 3 h or 6 h, increase in tBid, reduction in mitochondrial cytochrome-c (Cyt-c) and increase in cytoplastic Cyt-c and active caspase-3 at 12-24 h of the late stage of pMCAO or OGD. CA-074Me or Clik148 also reduced cytosolic and mitochondrial tBid, increased mitochondrial Cyt-c and decreased cytoplastic Cyt-c and active caspase-3 at 6 h of the early stage of Bid activation. CA-074Me or Clik148 blocked the pMCAO-induced release of cathepsin B or L from the lysosomes into the cytoplasm and activation of caspase-3 in ischemic astrocytes at 12 h after ischemia. Concurrent inhibition of cathepsin B and cathepsin L provided better protection on the OGD-induced astrocytic apoptosis than obtained with separate use of each inhibitor. These results suggest that inhibition of the cysteine cathepsin B and cathepsin L activation in ischemic astrocytes contributes to neuroprotection via blocking the tBid-mitochondrial apoptotic signaling pathway.

RIP1K Contributes to Neuronal and Astrocytic Cell Death in Ischemic Stroke via Activating Autophagic-lysosomal Pathway.

Although the receptor-interacting protein 1 kinase (RIP1K)-regulated necroptosis can be evoked by cerebral ischemia, the effects of RIP1K in mediating neuronal and astrocytic cell death and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study evaluates the contribution of RIP1K to ischemic stroke-induced neuronal and astrocytic cell death, and the activation of autophagic-lysosomal pathway. Using an in vitro oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) in primary cultured neurons or astrocytes and a permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) model in rats or mice, we observed the role of RIP1K in the ischemic neuronal and astrocytic cell death and the underlying mechanisms by pharmacological or genetic inhibition of RIP1K. pMCAO or OGD condition led to an increase in RIP1K, RIP3K and RIP1K-RIP3K complex. RIP1K knockdown or necrostatin-1 (Nec-1, a specific inhibitor of RIP1K) treatment reduced infarct volume, improved neurological deficits, increased microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels, and attenuated neuronal or astrocytic necrotic cell death in the ischemic cortex. RIP1K knockdown decreased RIP1K-RIP3K complex formation, light chain 3 II (LC3II) and active cathepsin B levels and lysosomal membrane permeability (LMP). Furthermore, a combination of Nec-1 and an inhibitor of autophagy or cathepsin B produced an enhancement of protective effect on neuronal or astrocytic cell death. RIP1K-mediated necroptosis may play important roles in ischemia-induced neuronal and astrocytic cell death through the activation of autophagic-lysosomal pathway.

Inhibition of autophagy blocks cathepsins-tBid-mitochondrial apoptotic signaling pathway via stabilization of lysosomal membrane in ischemic astrocytes.

Our previous study and others have demonstrated that autophagy is activated in ischemic astrocytes and contributes to astrocytic cell death. However, the mechanisms of ischemia-induced autophagy remain largely unknown. In this study, we established a rat's model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) and an in vitro oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) model. Autophagy was inhibited by either pharmacological treatment with 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and wortmannin (Wort) or genetic treatment with knockdown of Atg5 in primary cultured astrocytes and knockout of Atg5 in mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells, respectively. We found that pharmacological or genetic inhibition of autophagy reversed pMCAO or OGD-induced increase in LC3-II, active cathepsin B and L, tBid, active caspase-3 and cytoplastic cytochrome c (Cyt-c), and suppressed the injury-induced reduction in mitochondrial Cyt-c in ischemic cortex, in injured astrocytes and MEF cells. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that 3-MA or Wort treatment reversed OGD-induced release of cathepsin B and L from the lysosome to the cytoplasm and activation of caspase-3 in the astrocytes. Furthermore, treatment of 3-MA or Wort decreased OGD-induced increase in lysosomal membrane permeability and enhanced OGD-induced upregulation of lysosomal heat shock protein 70.1B (Hsp70.1B) in astrocytes. Inhibition of autophagy by 3-MA or Wort reduced infarction volume in rats and protected OGD-induced astrocytic cell injury. A non-selective caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk or a specific caspase-3 inhibitor Q-DEVD-OPh also rescued OGD-induced astrocytic cell injury. In conclusion, our presenting data suggest that inhibition of autophagy blocks cathepsins-tBid-mitochondrial apoptotic signaling pathway via stabilization of lysosomal membranes, possibly due to upregulation of the lysosomal Hsp70.1B in ischemic astrocytes.