Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (
TUDCA), a hydrophilic
bile acid, is a strong modulator of apoptosis in both hepatic and nonhepatic cells, and appears to function by inhibiting mitochondrial membrane perturbation. Excitotoxicity, metabolic compromise, and oxidative stress are major determinants of cell death after
brain ischemia-
reperfusion injury. However, some neurons undergo delayed cell death that is characteristic of apoptosis. Therefore, the authors examined whether
TUDCA could reduce the injury associated with
acute stroke in a well-characterized model of transient focal
cerebral ischemia. Their model of
middle cerebral artery occlusion resulted in marked cell death with prominent
terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated 2;-
deoxyuridine 5;-
triphosphate-
biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) within the ischemic penumbra, mitochondrial swelling, and
caspase activation.
Tauroursodeoxycholic acid administered 1 hour after
ischemia resulted in significantly increased
bile acid levels in the brain, improved neurologic function, and an approximately 50% reduction in
infarct size 2 and 7 days after reperfusion. In addition,
TUDCA significantly reduced the number of TUNEL-positive brain cells, mitochondrial swelling, and partially inhibited
caspase-3 processing and substrate cleavage. These findings suggest that the mechanism for in vivo neuroprotection by
TUDCA is, in part, mediated by inhibition of mitochondrial perturbation and subsequent
caspase activation leading to apoptotic cell death. Thus,
TUDCA, a clinically safe molecule, may be useful in the treatment of
stroke and possibly other apoptosis-associated acute and chronic
injuries to the brain.