J Neurochem. 2013 Apr 18. doi: 10.1111/jnc.12269. [Epub ahead of print]
Citicoline (cdp-choline) increases sirtuin1 expression concomitant to neuroprotection in experimental stroke.
Hurtado O, Hernández-Jiménez M, Zarruk JG, Cuartero MI, Ballesteros I, Camarero G, Moraga A, Pradillo JM, Moro MA, Lizasoain I.
Unidad de Investigación Neurovascular, Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Madrid.
CDP-choline has shown neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia. In humans, although a recent trial (ICTUS) has shown that global recovery is similar in CDP-choline and placebo groups, CDP-choline was shown to be more beneficial in some patients, such as those with moderate stroke severity and not treated with t-PA. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the beneficial actions of CDP-choline. We have now studied the participation of Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) in the neuroprotective actions of CDP-choline. Fischer rats and Sirt1-/- mice were subjected to permanent focal ischemia. CDP-choline (0.2 or 2 g/kg), sirtinol (a SIRT1 inhibitor; 10 mg/kg) and resveratrol (a SIRT1 activator; 2.5 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally. Brains were removed 24 and 48h after ischemia for western blot analysis and infarct volume determination. Treatment with CDP-choline increased SIRT1 protein levels in brain concomitantly to neuroprotection. Treatment with sirtinol blocked the reduction in infarct volume caused by CDP-choline whereas resveratrol elicited a strong synergistic neuroprotective effect with CDP-choline. CDP-choline failed to reduce infarct volume in Sirt1-/- mice. Our present results demonstrate a robust effect of CDP-choline like SIRT1 activator by up-regulating its expression. Our findings suggest that therapeutic strategies to activate SIRT1 may be useful in the treatment of stroke.
PMID: 23600725
