Ischemic stroke is a major risk factor in human health, yet there are no drugs to cure cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CIRI). Inflammation plays a fundamental role in the consequences of CIRI. Isorhapontigenin (ISOR) exhibits great anti-inflammatory activity; however, it is unclear whether ISOR can treat ischemic stroke through an anti-inflammation effect. Here, middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) was used to investigate the effects of ISOR on CIRI. The in vitro activity was measured in BV-2 cells exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion. As measured by neurological scores, brain water content, and infarction, neurological dysfunction was improved in the ISOR group. The neuronal death and microglial activation in the ipsilateral cortex were reduced by ISOR. TLR4 signaling was significantly inhibited by ISOR in vivo and in vitro. By reverse molecular docking, cellular thermal shift, and drug affinity-responsive target stability assays, an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) was found to be a target of ISOR. Furthermore, AHR knockdown blocked the effect of ISOR on TLR4 signaling, suggesting that ISOR may regulate TLR4-mediated inflammation through AHR, thereby protecting neurons from CIRI. This study demonstrated that ISOR is a promising drug candidate for the treatment of ischemic stroke and provided a theoretical basis for the development of the medicinal value of ISOR-derived foods, such as grapes.
Keywords: AHR; TLR4; inflammation; ischemic stroke; isorhapontigenin; microglia.