SIRT6 prevent chronic cerebral hypoperfusion induced cognitive impairment by remodeling mitochondrial dynamics in a STAT5-PGAM5-Drp1 dependent manner.

Vascular dementia (VaD) is a prevalent form of dementia resulting from chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH). However, the pathogenic mechanisms of VaD and corresponding therapeutic strategies are not well understood. Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) has been implicated in various biological processes, including cellular metabolism, DNA repair, redox homeostasis, and aging. Nevertheless, its functional relevance in VaD remains unexplored. In this study, we utilized a bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) mouse model of VaD to investigate the role of SIRT6. We detected a significant decrease in neuronal SIRT6 protein expression following CCH. Intriguingly, neuron-specific ablation of Sirt6 in mice exacerbated neuronal damage and cognitive deficits after CCH. Conversely, treatment with MDL-800, an agonist of SIRT6, effectively mitigated neuronal loss and facilitated neurological recovery. Mechanistically, SIRT6 inhibited excessive mitochondrial fission by suppressing the CCH-induced STAT5-PGAM5-Drp1 signaling cascade. Additionally, the gene expression of monocyte SIRT6 in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis showed a correlation with cognitive outcomes, suggesting translational implications in human subjects. Our findings provide the first evidence that SIRT6 prevents cognitive impairment induced by CCH, and mechanistically, this protection is achieved through the remodeling of mitochondrial dynamics in a STAT5-PGAM5-Drp1-dependent manner.

USP30 impairs mitochondrial quality control and aggravates oxidative damage after traumatic brain injury.

Clinical progress in the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is hindered by the poor understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie secondary brain injury (SBI). USP30, a mitochondrial deubiquitinase, has been implicated in the pathological progress of various diseases. However, the precise role of USP30 in TBI-induced SBI remains unclear. In this study, we found that USP30 was differentially upregulated after TBI in humans and mice. Immunofluorescence staining further revealed that the enhanced USP30 mainly localized in neurons. Neuron-specific knockout of USP30 reduced lesion volumes, mitigated brain edema, and attenuated neurological deficits after TBI in mice. Additionally, we found that USP30 deficiency effectively suppressed oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis in TBI. Those protective effects of USP30 loss may be attributed, at least partially, to the reduction of TBI-induced impairment of mitochondrial quality control, including mitochondrial dynamics, function, and mitophagy. Collectively, our findings identify a previously undisclosed role of USP30 in the pathophysiology of TBI and lay a preliminary foundation for future research in this field.

Pterostilbene attenuates microglial inflammation and brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage in an OPA1-dependent manner.

Microglial activation and subsequent inflammatory responses are critical processes in aggravating secondary brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Pterostilbene (3', 5'-dimethoxy-resveratrol) features antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties and has been proven neuroprotective. In this study, we aimed to explore whether Pterostilbene could attenuate neuroinflammation after experimental ICH, as well as underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, a collagenase-induced ICH in mice was followed by intraperitoneal injection of Pterostilbene (10 mg/kg) or vehicle once daily. PTE-treated mice performed significantly better than vehicle-treated controls in the neurological behavior test after ICH. Furthermore, our results showed that Pterostilbene reduced lesion volume and neural apoptosis, and alleviated blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage and brain edema. RNA sequencing and subsequent experiments showed that ICH-induced neuroinflammation and microglial proinflammatory activities were markedly suppressed by Pterostilbene treatment. With regard to the mechanisms, we identified that the anti-inflammatory effects of Pterostilbene relied on remodeling mitochondrial dynamics in microglia. Concretely, Pterostilbene reversed the downregulation of OPA1, promoted mitochondrial fusion, restored normal mitochondrial morphology, and reduced mitochondrial fragmentation and superoxide in microglia after OxyHb treatment. Moreover, conditionally deleting microglial OPA1 in mice largely countered the effects of Pterostilbene on alleviating microglial inflammation, BBB damage, brain edema and neurological impairment following ICH. In summary, we provided the first evidence that Pterostilbene is a promising agent for alleviating neuroinflammation and brain injury after ICH in mice, and uncovered a novel regulatory relationship between Pterostilbene and OPA1-mediated mitochondrial fusion.

P7C3-A20 Attenuates Microglial Inflammation and Brain Injury after ICH through Activating the NAD+/Sirt3 Pathway.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is lethal but lacks effective therapies. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a central metabolite indispensable for a broader range of fundamental intracellular biological functions. Reduction of NAD+ usually occurs after acute brain insults, and supplementation of NAD+ has been proven neuroprotective. P7C3-A20 is a novel compound featuring its ability to facilitate the flux of NAD+. In this study, we sought to determine the potential therapeutic value of P7C3-A20 in ICH. In collagenase-induced ICH mouse models, we found that P7C3-A20 treatment could diminish lesion volume, reduce blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage, mitigate brain edema, attenuate neural apoptosis, and improve neurological outcomes after ICH. Further, RNA sequencing and subsequent experiments revealed that ICH-induced neuroinflammation and microglial proinflammatory activities were significantly suppressed following P7C3-A20 treatment. Mitochondrial damage is an important trigger of inflammatory response. We examined mitochondrial morphology and function and found that P7C3-A20 could attenuate OxyHb-induced impairment of mitochondrial dynamics and functions in vitro. Mechanistically, Sirt3, an NAD+-dependent deacetylase located in mitochondria, was then found to play a vital role in the protection of P7C3-A20 against mitochondrial damage and inflammatory response. In rescue experiments, P7C3-A20 failed to exert those protective effects in microglia-specific Sirt3 conditional knockout (CKO) mice. Finally, preclinical research revealed a correlation between the plasma NAD+ level and the neurological outcome in ICH patients. These results demonstrate that P7C3-A20 is a promising therapeutic agent for neuroinflammatory injury after ICH and exerts protective actions, at least partly, in a Sirt3-dependent manner.