The Protective Effects and Mechanisms of Apelin/APJ System on Ischemic Stroke: A Promising Therapeutic Target

Yanjun Tian; Ruijiao Chen; Yunlu Jiang; Bo Bai; Tongju Yang; Haiqing Liu

doi:10.3389/fneur.2020.00075

The Protective Effects and Mechanisms of Apelin/APJ System on Ischemic Stroke: A Promising Therapeutic Target

Front Neurol. 2020 Mar 3:11:75. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00075. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Yanjun Tian¹, Ruijiao Chen¹, Yunlu Jiang^{2

3}, Bo Bai³, Tongju Yang⁴, Haiqing Liu⁵

Affiliations

¹ Collaborative Innovation Center for Birth Defect Research and Transformation of Shandong Province, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
² School of Mental Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
³ Institute of Neurobiology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
⁴ Department of Pharmacy, People's Hospital of Zoucheng City, Jining, China.
⁵ Department of Physiology, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Taian, China.

Abstract

The orphan receptor APJ and its endogenous ligand apelin, which are expressed in the brain, are the major components of the apelin/APJ system. Growing evidence shows that the apelin/APJ system plays a vital role in the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemic injury. Targeting the apelin/APJ system may have protective effects on cerebral ischemic injury. In this review, we sum up the latest research progress relating to the actions and therapeutic potential of the apelin/APJ system in ischemic stroke. An in-depth knowledge of the pathophysiological effects of the apelin/APJ system and the underlying mechanisms will help to develop novel therapeutic interventions for ischemic stroke.

Keywords: apelin/APJ system; ischemic stroke; molecular mechanisms; neuroprotection; signaling pathways.

Publication types

Review