Guang Yi Zhang

Critical role of PTEN in the coupling between PI3K/Akt and JNK1/2 signaling in ischemic brain injury.

JNK pathway is an important pro‐apoptotic kinase cascade mediating cell death in response to a variety of extracellular stimuli including excitotoxicity, which results in selective and delayed neuronal death in the hippocampal CA1. On the contrary, activation of the protein kinase Akt, which is controlled by the opposing actions of PI3K and PTEN, contributes to enhanced resistance to apoptosis through multiple mechanisms. We here demonstrate that the temporal pattern of Akt activation reversely correlates with JNK1/2 activation following various time points of ischemic reperfusion. However, the activation of JNK1/2 could be decreased by the elevation of Akt activation via increasing the tyrosine phosphorylation of PTEN by bpv(pic), a potent PTPases inhibitor for PTEN, or by intracerebroventricular infusion of PTEN antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (AS‐ODNs). In contrast, JNK1/2 activation was significantly increased by preventing PTEN degradation after pretreatment with proteasome inhibitor. The neuroprotective effects of bpv(pic) and PTEN AS‐ODNs were significant in the CA1 subfield after transient global ischemia. In conclusion, the present results clearly show that PTEN plays a key regulatory role in the cross‐talk between cell survival PI3K/Akt pathway and pro‐death JNK pathway, and raise a new possibility that agents targeting phosphatase PTEN may offer a great promise to expand the therapeutic options in protecting neurons form ischemic brain damage.

Inhibition of MLK3-MKK4/7-JNK1/2 pathway by Akt1 in exogenous estrogen-induced neuroprotection against transient global cerebral ischemia by a non-genomic mechanism in male rats.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of estrogen in experimental cerebral ischemia. To investigate molecular mechanisms of estrogen neuroprotection in global ischemia, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry and Nissel‐staining analysis were used. Our results showed that chronic pretreatment with β‐estradiol 3‐benzoate (E2) enhanced Akt1 activation and reduced the activation of mixed‐lineage kinase 3 (MLK3), mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 4/7 (MKK4/7), and c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK1/2) in the hippocampal CA1 subfield during reperfusion after 15 min of global ischemia. In addition, E2 reduced downstream JNK nuclear and non‐nuclear components, c‐Jun and Bcl‐2 phosphorylation and Fas ligand protein expression induced by ischemia/reperfusion. Administration of phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY 294,002 prevented both activation of Akt1 and inhibition of MLK3, MKK4/7 and JNK1/2. The interaction between ERα and the p85 subunit of PI3K was also examined. E2 and antiestrogen ICI 182,780 promoted and prevented this interaction, respectively. Furthermore, ICI 182,780 blocked both the activation of Akt1 and the inhibition of MLK3, MKK4/7 and JNK1/2. Photomicrographs of cresyl violet‐stained brain sections showed that E2 reduced CA1 neuron loss after 5 days of reperfusion, which was abolished by ICI 182,780 and LY 294,002. Our data indicate that in response to estrogen, ERα interacts with PI3K to activate Akt1, which may inhibit the MLK3‐MKK4/7‐JNK1/2 pathway to protect hippocampal CA1 neurons against global cerebral ischemia in male rats.

Neuroprotective effects of preconditioning ischaemia on ischaemic brain injury through inhibition of mixed-lineage kinase 3 via NMDA receptor-mediated Akt1 activation

A number of works show that the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway responds actively in cerebral ischaemia and reperfusion. We undertook our present studies to clarify the role of mixed‐lineage kinase 3 (MLK3), a MAPK kinase kinase (MAPKKK) in MAPK cascades, in global ischaemia and ischaemic tolerance. The mechanism concerning NMDA receptor‐mediated Akt1 activation underlying ischaemic tolerance, was also investigated. Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to 6 min of ischaemia and differing times of reperfusion. Our results showed MLK3 was activated in the hippocampal CA1 region with two peaks occurring at 30 min and 6 h, respectively. This activation returned to base level 3 days later. Both preconditioning with 3 min of sublethal ischaemia and NMDA pretreatment inhibited the 6‐h peak of activation. However, pretreatment of ketamine before preconditioning reversed the inhibiting effect of preconditioning on MLK3 activation at 6 h of reperfusion. In the case of Akt1, however, preconditioning and NMDA pretreatment enhanced Akt1 activation at 10 min of reperfusion. Furthermore, ketamine pretreatment reversed preconditioning‐induced increase of Akt1 activation. We also noted that pretreatment of LY294002 before preconditioning reversed both the inhibition of MLK3 activation at 6 h of reperfusion and the increase in Akt1 activation at 10 min of reperfusion. The above‐mentioned results lead us to conclude that, in the hippocampal CA1 region, preconditioning inhibits MLK3 activation after lethal ischaemia and reperfusion and, furthermore, this effect is mediated by Akt1 activation through NMDA receptor stimulation.

Coupling between neuronal nitric oxide synthase and glutamate receptor 6-mediated c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathway via S-nitrosylation contributes to ischemia neuronal death.

S-nitrosylation, as a post-translational protein modification, recently has been paid more and more attention in stroke research. S-nitrosylation regulates protein function by the mechanisms of covalent attachment that control the addition or the removal of nitric oxide (NO) from a cysteine thiol. The derivation of NO is established by the demonstration that, in cerebral neurons, NO mainly generates from neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) during the early stages of reperfusion. In the past researches, we demonstrate that global ischemia-reperfusion facilitates the activation of glutamate receptor 6 (GluR6) -mediated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. The objective of this study is primarily to determine, during the early stages of reperfusion in rat four-vessel occlusion (4-VO) ischemic model, whether nNOS-derived NO affects the GluR6-mediated JNK signaling route via S-nitrosylation which is performed mainly by the biotin switch assay. Here, we show that administration of 7-nitroindazole, an inhibitor of nNOS, or ketamine, an antagonist of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), diminishes the increased S-nitrosylation of GluR6 induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. In contrast, 2-amion-5,6-dihydro-6-methyl-4H-1,3-thiazine, an inhibitor of inducible NO synthase does not affect S-nitrosylation of GluR6. Moreover, treatment with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an exogenous NO donor, increases the S-nitrosylation and phosphorylation of nNOS, leading to the attenuation of the increased S-nitrosylation of GluR6 and the assembling of GluR6* postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95)* mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) signaling module induced by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. The results also show that GluR6 downstream MLK3* mitogen activated protein kinase kinase 4/7* JNK signaling module and nuclear or non-nuclear apoptosis pathways are involved in the above signaling route. However, dithiothreitol (DTT) antagonizes the neuroprotection of SNP. Treatment with DTT alone, as a negative control, prevents S-nitrosylation of proteins, which indicates the existence of endogenously produced S-nitrosylation. These data suggest that GluR6 is S-nitrosylated by endogenous NO in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, which is possibly correlated with NMDAR* PSD95* nNOS signaling module, and further activates GluR6* PSD95* MLK3 signaling module and JNK signaling pathway. In contrast, exogenous NO donor antagonizes the above action of endogenous NO generated from nNOS. Thus, our results provide the coupling of nNOS with GluR6 by S-nitrosylation during the early stages of ischemia-reperfusion, which can be a new approach for stroke therapy.

Endogenous nitric oxide induces activation of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 via S-nitrosylation in rat hippocampus during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is a general mediator of cell death in response to a variety of stimuli, including reactive oxygen species, tumor necrosis factor α, lipopolysaccharide, endoplasmic reticulum stress, calcium influx and ischemia. Here we reported ASK1 was activated by nitric oxide (NO) through S-nitrosylation during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. The reagents that abrogate neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity such as nNOS inhibitor 7NI and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist MK801 prevented ASK1 activation via decreasing ASK1 S-nitrosylation. In HEK293 cells, over-expressed ASK1 could be S-nitrosylated by both exogenous and endogenous NO and Cys869 was identified as the site of ASK1 S-nitrosylation. S-nitrosylation increased the level of ASK1 phosphorylation at Thr845, which represents ASK1 activation. Our results further confirmed that S-nitrosylation led to the increment of ASK1 dimerization. S-nitrosylation of ASK1 also activated the downstream JNK signaling and JNK-mediated nucleic pathway. The exogenous NO (SNP and GSNO) reversed the effect of endogenous NO by suppressing S-nitrosylation of ASK1 and exerted neuroprotection during ischemia-reperfusion. These results suggest that inhibiting ASK1 S-nitrosylation may be a novel approach for stroke therapy.

Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 may play a neuroprotective role in hippocampal CA3/DG region after cerebral ischemia.

Extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 5 (ERK5), the newest member of the mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinase family of proteins, is widely expressed in many tissues, including the brain. Here we investigated the activation and subcellular localization of ERK5 by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry as well as its potential role following cerebral ischemia in rat hippocampus. Transient cerebral ischemia was induced by the four‐vessel occlusion method in Sprague‐Dawley rats. Our results first indicated that the strongly activated ERK5 immunoreactivity was seen in the CA3/DG region but not in the CA1 pyramidal cell of rat hippocampus following reperfusion. In cytosol extracts, ERK5 activation was rapidly increased, with a peak at 30 min, and then gradually decreased to basal level at 3 days of reperfusion. In nucleus extracts, both phospho‐ERK5 and its protein expression were persistently enhanced during the later reperfusion period (from 6 hr to 3 days). To elucidate further the possible role of ERK5 activation and subcellular localization in ischemic insult, rats were intraperitoneally administrated with nifedipine (ND) and dextromethorphan (DM), inhibitors of two types of calcium channels, 20 min prior to ischemia. Our findings showed that ND or DM significantly reduced activated ERK5 immunoreactivity in the nucleus and that most of the CA3/DG neurons were lost 3 days later. Most importantly, intracerebroventricular infusion of ERK5 antisense oligonucleotides (AS; every 24 hr for 3 days before ischemia), but not sense oligonucleotides or vehicle, not only markedly decreased the level of ERK5 and p‐ERK5 but also largely caused neuronal loss in the CA3/DG region at 3 days of reperfusion. Taken together, the results strongly suggest that ERK5 was selectively activated in the hippocampal CA3/DG region and subsequently translocated from the cytosol to the nucleus through activation of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor and L‐type voltage‐gated calcium channel, which might act as an important survival signal in ischemia‐induced neuronal cell damage of the CA3/DG region.

Co-activation of GABA receptors inhibits the JNK3 apoptotic pathway via the disassembly of the GluR6-PSD95-MLK3 signaling module in cerebral ischemic-reperfusion

In this study, we investigated whether the increase of inhibitory γ‐amino butyric acid (GABA) signal suppresses the excitatory glutamate signal induced by cerebral ischemia and the underlying mechanisms. In global cerebral ischemia, focal cerebral ischemia and oxygen‐glucose deprivation, application of muscimol and baclofen, agonists of GABA(A) receptor and GABA(B) receptor, exerted neuroprotection. The agonists inhibited the increased assembly of the GluR6‐PSD‐95‐MLK3 module induced by cerebral ischemia and the activation of the MLK3‐MKK4/7‐JNK3 cascade. Our results suggest that stimulation of the inhibitory GABA receptors can attenuate the excitatory JNK3 apoptotic signaling pathway via inhibiting the increased assembly of the GluR6‐PSD‐95‐MLK3 signaling module in cerebral ischemia.

DUAL INHIBITORY ROLES OF GELDANAMYCIN ON THE c-Jun NH2-TERMINAL KINASE 3 SIGNAL PATHWAY THROUGH SUPPRESSING THE EXPRESSION OF MIXED-LINEAGE KINASE 3 AND ATTENUATING THE ACTIVATION OF APOPTOSIS SIGNAL-REGULATING KINASE 1 VIA FACILITATING THE ACTIVATION OF Akt IN ISCHEMIC BRAIN INJURY

It is well documented that heat-shock protein (hsp90) plays an essential role in maintaining stability and activity of its clients. Recent studies have shown that geldanamycin (GA), an inhibitor of hsp90, could decrease the protein of mixed-lineage kinase (MLK) 3 and activate Akt; our previous research documented that MLK3 and Akt and subsequent c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) were involved in neuronal cell death in ischemic brain injury. Here, we investigated whether GA could decrease the protein of MLK3 and activate Akt in rat four-vessel occlusion ischemic model. Our results showed that global cerebral ischemia followed by reperfusion could enhance the association of hsp90 with MLK3, the association of hsp90 with Src, and JNK3 activation. As a result, GA decreased the protein of MLK3 and down-regulated JNK activation. On the other hand, Src kinase was activated and phosphorylated Cbl, which then recruited the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K), resulting in PI-3K activation, and as a consequence increased Akt activation, which inhibited ASK1 activation and down-regulated JNK3 activation. In summary, our results indicated that GA showed a dual inhibitory role on JNK3 activation and exerted strong neuroprotection in vivo and in vitro, which provides a new possible approach for stroke therapy.

Neuroprotection of preconditioning against ischemic brain injury in rat hippocampus through inhibition of the assembly of GluR6—PSD95—mixed lineage kinase 3 signaling module via nuclear and non-nuclear pathways

Our previous studies showed that the assembly of the GluR6-PSD95-mixed lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) signaling module played an important role in rat ischemic brain injury. In this study, we aimed to elucidate whether ischemic preconditioning could downregulate the assembly of the GluR6-PSD95-MLK3 signaling module and suppress the activation of MLK3, MKK4/7, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). As a result, ischemic preconditioning could not only inhibit the assembly of the GluR6-PSD95-MLK3 signaling module, diminish the phosphorylation of the transcription factor c-Jun, downregulate Fas ligand expression, attenuate the phosphorylation of 14-3-3 and Bcl-2 and the translocation of Bax to mitochondria, but also increase the release of cytochrome c and the activation of caspase-3. In contrast, both GluR6 antisense ODNs (oligodeoxynucleotides) and 6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5-nitro-1 H-benz[g]indole-2,3-dione-3-oxime (NS102), an antagonist of GluR6 receptor, prevented the above effects of preconditioning, which shows that suppressing the expression of GluR6 or inhibiting GluR6 activity contributes negatively to preconditioning-induced ischemia tolerance. Taken together, our results indicate that preconditioning can inhibit the over-assembly of the GluR6-PSD95-MLK3 signaling module and the JNK3 activation. GluR6 subunit-containing kainite receptors play an important role in the preconditioning-induced neuronal survival and provide new insight into stroke therapy.

Activated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7 redistributes to the cytosol and binds to Jun N-terminal kinase-interacting protein 1 involving oxidative stress during early reperfusion in rat hippocampal CA1 region

Mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase (MKK) 7, a specific upstream activator of Jun N‐terminal kinases (JNKs) in the stress‐activated protein kinase (SAPK)/JNK signaling pathway, plays an important role in response to global cerebral ischemia. We investigated the subcellular localization of activated (phosphorylated) MKK (p‐MKK) 7 using western blotting, immunoprecipitation and immunohistochemistry analysis in rat hippocampus. Transient forebrain ischemia was induced by the four‐vessel occlusion method on Sprague‐Dawley rats. Our results showed that both protein expression and activation of MKK7 were increased rapidly with peaks at 10 min of reperfusion in the nucleus of the hippocampal CA1 region. Simultaneously, in the cytosol activated MKK7 enhanced gradually and peaked at 30 min of reperfusion. In addition, we also detected JNK‐interacting protein (JIP) 1, which accumulated in the perinuclear region of neurons at 30 min of reperfusion. Interestingly, at the same time‐point the binding of JIP‐1 to p‐MKK7 reached a maximum. Consequently, we concluded that MKK7 was rapidly activated and then translocated from the nucleus to the cytosol depending on its activation in the hippocampal CA1 region. To further elucidate the possible mechanism of MKK7 activation and translocation, the antioxidant N‐acetylcysteine was injected into the rats 20 min before ischemia. The result showed that the levels of MKK7 activation, translocation and binding of p‐MKK7 to JIP‐1 were obviously limited by N‐acetylcysteine in the cytosol at 30 min after reperfusion. The findings suggested that MKK7 activation, translocation and binding to JIP‐1 were closely associated with reactive oxygen species and might play a pivotal role in the activation of the JNK signaling pathway in brain ischemic injury.