Excessive microglial activation often contributes to inflammation-mediated neurotoxicity in the ischemic penumbra during the acute stage of ischemic stroke. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) has been reported to induce microglial activation via the NF-κB pathway. Isoflurane preconditioning (IP) can provide neuroprotection and inhibit microglial activation. In this study, we investigated the roles of the TLR4 signalling pathway in IP to exert neuroprotection following ischemic stroke in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that 2% IP alleviated neurological deficits, reduced the infarct volume, attenuated apoptosis and weakened microglial activation in the ischemic penumbra. Furthermore, IP down-regulated the expression of HSP 60, TLR4 and MyD88 and up-regulated inhibitor of IκB-α expression compared with I/R group in vivo. In vitro, 2% IP and a specific inhibitor of TLR4, CLI-095, down-regulated the expression of TLR4, MyD88, IL-1β, TNF-α and Bax, and up-regulated IκB-α and Bcl-2 expression compared with OGD group. Moreover, IP and CLI-095 attenuated microglial activation-induced neuronal apoptosis, and overexpression of the TLR4 gene reversed the neuroprotective effects of IP. In conclusion, IP provided neuroprotection by regulating TLR4 expression directly, alleviating microglial activation and neuroinflammation. Thus, inhibiting the activation of microglial activation via TLR4 may be a new avenue for stroke treatment.

Cerebral ischemic stroke (IS) is still a difficult problem to be solved; energy metabolism failure is one of the main factors causing mitochondrion dysfunction and oxidation stress damage within the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia, which produces considerable reactive oxygen species (ROS) and opens the blood-brain barrier. Dichloroacetic acid (DCA) can inhibit pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK). Moreover, DCA has been indicated with the capability of increasing mitochondrial pyruvate uptake and promoting oxidation of glucose in the course of glycolysis, thereby improving the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH). As a result, pyruvate flow is promoted into the tricarboxylic acid cycle to expedite ATP production. DCA has a protective effect on IS and brain ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. This study adopted a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model for simulating IS and I/R injury in mice. We investigated the mechanism by which DCA regulates glycolysis and protects the oxidative damage induced by I/R injury through the PDK2-PDH-Nrf2 axis. As indicated from the results of this study, DCA may improve glycolysis, reduce oxidative stress and neuronal death, damage the blood-brain barrier, and promote the recovery of oxidative metabolism through inhibiting PDK2 and activating PDH. Additionally, DCA noticeably elevated the neurological score and reduced the infarct volume, brain water content, and necrotic neurons. Moreover, as suggested from the results, DCA elevated the content of Nrf2 as well as HO-1, i.e., the downstream antioxidant proteins pertaining to Nrf2, while decreasing the damage of BBB and the degradation of tight junction proteins. To simulate the condition of hypoxia and ischemia in vitro, HBMEC cells received exposure to transient oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). The DCA treatment is capable of reducing the oxidative stress and blood-brain barrier of HBMEC cells after in vitro hypoxia and reperfusion (H/R). Furthermore, this study evidenced that HBMEC cells could exhibit higher susceptibility to H/R-induced oxidative stress after ML385 application, the specific inhibitor of Nrf2. Besides, the protection mediated by DCA disappeared after ML385 application. To sum up, as revealed from the mentioned results, DCA could exert the neuroprotective effect on oxidative stress and blood-brain barrier after brain I/R injury via PDK2-PDH-Nrf2 pathway activation. Accordingly, the PDK2-PDH-Nrf2 pathway may play a key role and provide a new pharmacology target in cerebral IS and I/R protection by DCA.

Purpose: LncRNAs are important regulators in cancers. In this study, we investigated the role of lncRNA PCAT18 in gastric cancer (GC). Patients and Methods: The level of PCAT18 in GC tissues and cells was determined by qRT-PCR. The cellular behaviors of GC cells with knockdown or overexpression of PCAT18 were respectively detected by CCK-8 assays, colony formation assays, flow cytometry and Western blot. A GC mice model was established by subcutaneous injection of MGC-803 and HGC-27 cells with the knockdown or overexpression of PCAT18. The tumor size and weight were measured, and IHC was performed to determine ki-67 level. Predicted by bioinformatics software and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay, PCAT18 was involved in miR-107/PTEN axis, thus, the expression of and relationship among PCAT18, miR-107 and PTEN pathway were explored in clinical cases and GC cell lines. Rescue assay was performed in GC cells by co-transfection with miR-107 mimic or PCAT18. The PTEN/ PI3K/AKT pathway was then detected by Western blot. Results: PCAT18 was down-regulated in GC tissues and cells, and it had a significant diagnostic value for GC. The expression of PCAT18 was highly associated with tumor size, and PCAT18 was found to inhibit GC growth in vitro and in vivo. It was also found that PCAT18 was involved in PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through targeting miR-107. Conclusion: PCAT18 inhibits the progression of GC via miR-107/PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Additionally, PCAT18 is possibly a promising target for treatment of GC.