( the current paper. Dr. Szeto wa...)Antioxidant Molecule Could Help Minimize Stroke-Linked Brain Damage,Health

the current paper.

"Dr. Szeto was, in fact, looking for a model of ischemia to test out SS31," Dr. Cho says. "Since we knew the molecule could pass through the blood-brain barrier -- something most drugs cannot do -- SS31 seemed to be a perfect fit."

In their experiments, the Weill Cornell team induced ischemic stroke in mice, then treated the mice soon after with SS31.

The results were impressive. "The size of infarct -- tissue damage -- in the mouse brain cortex was significantly reduced in the treated vs. untreated animals," Dr. Pinto says.

Another promising sign: high brain levels of an oxidative stress marker called glutathione, which is usually depleted in areas affected by stroke/reperfusion.

"If you have a stroke, you lose glutathione very quickly," Dr. Cho says. "That happened in the untreated mice, but SS31 seemed to keep glutathione levels relatively high in the treated animals."

But how was SS31 working its magic? To help find out, the team tested the drug in mice genetically engineered to lack functioning CD36.

"For these mice, treatment with SS31 after stroke had no effect," Dr. Cho says. "That suggests that this peptide is working via inhibiting CD36 pathways."

The exact mechanism by which SS31 inhibits CD36 remains unclear, she says. "We have theories -- for example, it may block binding of CD36 with LDL cholesterol, reducing LDL oxidation. But there could be multiple pathways. We just don't know."

The researchers stressed that human stroke is much more complex than that seen in mice, so the true value of SS31 as a stroke-limiting drug remains to be seen.

Still, they are optimistic.

"Right now, stroke patients have very limited treatment options, so an effective agent that could reach the site of injury and lessen damage would be a great advance," Dr. Cho says.

Source-Newswise
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