The Aldose Reductase Inhibitor Epalrestat Maintains Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity by Enhancing Endothelial Cell Function during Cerebral Ischemia.

ABSTRACT: Excessive activation of aldose reductase (AR) in the brain is a risk factor for aggravating cerebral ischemia injury. Epalrestat is the only AR inhibitor with proven safety and efficacy, which is used in the clinical treatment of diabetic neuropathy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the neuroprotection of epalrestat remain unknown in the ischemic brain. Recent studies have found that blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage was mainly caused by increased apoptosis and autophagy of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs) and decreased expression of tight junction proteins. Thus, we hypothesized that the protective effect of epalrestat is mainly related to regulating the survival of BMVECs and tight junction protein levels after cerebral ischemia. To test this hypothesis, a mouse

SUBMITTER: Zhang T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10224835 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature