Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin/CYP1B1 pathway alleviates oxidative stress and protects the blood-brain barrier under cerebral ischemia/reperfusion conditions

Neural Regen Res. 2024 Jul 1;19(7):1541-1547. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.386398. Epub 2023 Oct 2.

Abstract

Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway participate in stroke-induced disruption of the blood-brain barrier. However, the potential links between them following ischemic stroke remain largely unknown. The present study found that cerebral ischemia leads to oxidative stress and repression of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Meanwhile, Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation by the pharmacological inhibitor, TWS119, relieved oxidative stress, increased the levels of cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) and tight junction-associated proteins (zonula occludens-1 [ZO-1], occludin and claudin-5), as well as brain microvascular density in cerebral ischemia rats. Moreover, rat brain microvascular endothelial cells that underwent oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation displayed intense oxidative stress, suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, aggravated cell apoptosis, downregulated CYP1B1 and tight junction protein levels, and inhibited cell proliferation and migration. Overexpression of β-catenin or knockdown of β-catenin and CYP1B1 genes in rat brain microvascular endothelial cells at least partly ameliorated or exacerbated these effects, respectively. In addition, small interfering RNA-mediated β-catenin silencing decreased CYP1B1 expression, whereas CYP1B1 knockdown did not change the levels of glycogen synthase kinase 3β, Wnt-3a, and β-catenin proteins in rat brain microvascular endothelial cells after oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation. Thus, the data suggest that CYP1B1 can be regulated by Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and activation of the Wnt/β-catenin/CYP1B1 pathway contributes to alleviation of oxidative stress, increased tight junction levels, and protection of the blood-brain barrier against ischemia/hypoxia-induced injury.

Grants and funding

Funding:This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81771250 (to XC); the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, Nos. 2020J011059 (to XC), 2020R1011004 (to YW), 2021J01374 (to XZ); Medical Innovation Project of Fujian Province, No. 2021CXB002 (to XC); and Fujian Research and Training Grants for Young and Middle-aged Leaders in Healthcare (to XC).