Injury to the brain caused by cerebral ischemia (i.e. stroke) is a major public health concern. Studies have determined that the brain damage associated with cerebral ischemia is mediated by over-stimulation of excitatory amino acid receptors, oxidative stress, as well as inflammatory factors. Preliminary results obtained during the last/current grant period as well as supporting data from the literature demonstrate a link between leukocyte-type 12/15 lipoxygenase (L-12/15 LO) activation in cerebral ischemic neuronal injury in vivo and oxidative stress-induced neuronal injury in vitro. Thus, the objectives of this following 5 yr research plan of study are as follows: 1) To determine the extent to which L-12/15 LO is involved in cerebral ischemic injury. Animals genetically null for L-12/15 LO and those genetically engineered to over-express L-12/15 LO will be used to determine its contribution to cerebral ischemic damage over a detailed time course. 2) To determine whether the decreased susceptibility of L-12/15 LO null mutants to cerebral ischemic damage results from a change in cerebrovasculature function and/or a reduction in glutamate receptor-mediated damage. To assess the former, relative and absolute regional cerebral blood flow changes occurring during and at end-stage cerebral ischemia will be measured to determine whether L-12/15 LO animals (null mutants and over-expressers) sustain a similar intra-ischemic insult as compared to wild-type mice. To assess the latter, a comparison of the damage induced by direct microinjection of NMDA into brain parenchyma between L- 12/15 LO animals and wild-type controls will be made. 3) To identify an orally active, pharmacological inhibitor of the L-12/15-LO pathway for the treatment cerebral ischemic damage. Using structurally distinct, proprietary lipoxygenase inhibitors developed by Onconova Therapeutics, studies will be undertaken to identify compounds that effectively prevent injury induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) and/or direct hippocampal injection of NMDA as well as to elucidate their therapeutic time window. Results from this study will elucidate the contribution of L-12/15 LO to cerebral ischemic damage and could aid in the development of a novel stroke therapeutic.

Public Health Relevance

Morbidity associated with stroke remains a huge emotional and economic burden due in large part to a void in treatment options to protect against secondary injury. It is our contention that successful completion of this proposal will advance and refine our knowledge about an important new therapeutic target (L-12/15 LO) that complements other ongoing efforts to reduce injury following cerebral ischemic insult.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS036812-13
Application #
8013906
Study Section
Neural Oxidative Metabolism and Death Study Section (NOMD)
Program Officer
Bosetti, Francesca
Project Start
1997-09-01
Project End
2011-07-14
Budget Start
2011-01-01
Budget End
2011-07-14
Support Year
13
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$112,026
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Connecticut
Department
Neurosciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
022254226
City
Farmington
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06030
Kanzler, Matthew A; Van Dyke, Adam M; He, Yan et al. (2018) Mice lacking L-12/15-lipoxygenase show increased mortality during kindling despite demonstrating resistance to epileptogenesis. Epilepsia Open 3:255-263
He, Yan; Akumuo, Rita C; Yang, Yuan et al. (2017) Mice deficient in L-12/15 lipoxygenase show increased vulnerability to 3-nitropropionic acid neurotoxicity. Neurosci Lett 643:65-69
Hewett, Sandra J; Shi, Jingxue; Gong, Yifan et al. (2016) Spontaneous Glutamatergic Synaptic Activity Regulates Constitutive COX-2 Expression in Neurons: OPPOSING ROLES FOR THE TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS CREB (cAMP RESPONSE ELEMENT BINDING) PROTEIN AND Sp1 (STIMULATORY PROTEIN-1). J Biol Chem 291:27279-27288
Claycomb, Robert J; Hewett, Sandra J; Hewett, James A (2012) Neuromodulatory role of endogenous interleukin-1? in acute seizures: possible contribution of cyclooxygenase-2. Neurobiol Dis 45:234-42
Hewett, James A; Hewett, Sandra J (2012) Induction of nitric oxide synthase-2 expression and measurement of nitric oxide production in enriched primary cortical astrocyte cultures. Methods Mol Biol 814:251-63
Uliasz, Tracy F; Hamby, Mary E; Jackman, Nicole A et al. (2012) Generation of primary astrocyte cultures devoid of contaminating microglia. Methods Mol Biol 814:61-79
Claycomb, Robert J; Hewett, Sandra J; Hewett, James A (2011) Prophylactic, prandial rofecoxib treatment lacks efficacy against acute PTZ-induced seizure generation and kindling acquisition. Epilepsia 52:273-83
Sen, Ellora; Basu, Anirban; Willing, Lisa B et al. (2011) Pre-conditioning induces the precocious differentiation of neonatal astrocytes to enhance their neuroprotective properties. ASN Neuro 3:e00062
Hamby, Mary E; Hewett, James A; Hewett, Sandra J (2010) Smad3-dependent signaling underlies the TGF-ýý1-mediated enhancement in astrocytic iNOS expression. Glia 58:1282-91
Hewett, James A; Fuss, Babette; Hewett, Sandra J (2010) Analysis and function of lipid mediators in the nervous system. Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat 91:61-2

Showing the most recent 10 out of 15 publications