Pomalidomide Reduces Ischemic Brain Injury in Rodents.

Pomalidomide Reduces Ischemic Brain Injury in Rodents. Cell Transplant. 2019 May 16;:963689719850078 Authors: Tsai YR, Tweedie D, Navas-Enamorado I, Scerba MT, Chang CF, Lai JH, Wu JC, Chen YH, Kang SJ, Hoffer BJ, de Cabo R, Greig NH, Chiang YH, Chen KY Abstract Stroke is a leading cause of death and severe disability worldwide. After cerebral ischemia, inflammation plays a central role in the development of permanent neurological damage. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in the mechanism of post-ischemic inflammation. The activation of several inflammatory enzymes produces ROS, which subsequently suppress mitochondrial activity, leading to further tissue damage. Pomalidomide (POM) is a clinically available immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory agent. Prior cellular studies demonstrate that POM can mitigate oxidative stress and lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly TNF-α, which plays a prominent role in ischemic stroke-induced brain damage and functional deficits. To evaluate the potential value of POM in cerebral ischemia, POM was initially administered to transgenic mice chronically over-expressing TNF-α surfactant protein (SP)-C promoter (SP-C/TNF-α mice) to assess whether systemically administered drug could lower systemic TNF-α level. POM significantly lowered serum levels of TNF-α and IL-5. Pharmacokinetic studies were then undertaken in mice to evaluate brain POM levels following systemic drug...
Source: Cell Transplantation - Category: Cytology Authors: Tags: Cell Transplant Source Type: research