Abstract TP111: TRPM2 is a Therapeutic Target for Reversal of Stroke-Induced Dementia-Like Symptoms
Introduction: Cognitive impairments and memory loss are common after stroke, with an emerging awareness of a high risk of conversion to post-stroke dementia. It is increasingly clear that in addition to neuronal injury following cerebral ischemia, impaired functional networks contribute to long-term functional deficits. Synaptic plasticity (long term potentiation; LTP) is the leading cellular model of learning and memory. Thus, we utilize electrophysiological recordings of hippocampal LTP as an indicator of network health following ischemia in combination with neurobehavioral assessments of memory function. TRPM2 channels are oxidative stress sensitive ion channels that have been implicated in ischemic injury. Hypothesis: Inhibition of TRPM2 channels reverse stroke-induced cognitive deficits. Methods: Extracellular field recordings of CA1 neurons were performed in acute hippocampal slices prepared 30 days after recovery from transient MCAO (45 min) in adult (6-8 week) mice. A behavioral fear conditioning paradigm was used to evaluate contextual memory 30 days after MCAO. Slices or mice were treated with our newly developed peptide inhibitor of TRPM2, termed tatM2NX. Results: Recordings obtained in brain slices 30 days after MCAO exhibited near complete loss of LTP; 161±9%, n=6 in sham compared to 115±4%, n=7 30 days after MCAO in the ipsilateral hippocampus. Similar deficit in LTP observed in the contralateral hippocampus. Remarkably, iv injection of 20 mg/kg tatM2NX on day 29 after MCAO reversed MCAO-induced loss of LTP when recorded on day 30, recovering to 175±9% (n=3). Memory function, measured using contextual fear conditioning, was consistent with our LTP findings. MCAO decreased freezing behavior, indicating lack of memory (62±5% in sham mice (n=5) and 24±3% in MCAO mice, n=4). This was reversed in MCAO mice given tatM2NX (20 mg/kg iv injection 24 hr before testing) on day 29 post MCAO, increasing freezing to 73±12% (n=3). Conclusion: These data indicate that our new TRPM2 channel inhibitor, tatM2NX, restores synaptic plasticity and memory function after experimental stroke. Therefore, inhibition of TRPM2 channels at chronic timepoints following ischemia may represent a novel strategy to improve functional recovery following stroke.