A Novel Therapeutic Peptide as a Partial Agonist of RANKL in Ischemic Stroke

Sci Rep. 2016 Nov 29:6:38062. doi: 10.1038/srep38062.

Abstract

The enhanced receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) ligand (RANKL) and its receptor (RANK) signal have been reported to attenuate ischemic brain injury through inhibition of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4-mediated inflammation. However, augmentation of the RANKL/RANK signal also accelerates osteoporosis, which is a potential problem in clinical use of RANKL. Therefore, we developed novel peptides, microglial healing peptides (MHPs), which were based on the DE and/or EF loop of RANKL. Among them, MHP1 was the most effective inhibitor of TLR4-induced inflammations in microglia/macrophages. The effects depended on RANK, as confirmed by knockdown experiments. In contrast to RANKL, MHP1 did not stimulate osteoclast differentiation. Unexpectedly, MHP1 inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation. These findings suggested that MHP1 was a partial agonist of RANKL, and administration of MHP1 attenuated ischemic injury by decreasing inflammation. MHP1 could be a novel therapeutic agent for treating ischemic stroke.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Ischemia
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Osteoclasts / metabolism
  • Osteoclasts / pathology
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • RANK Ligand / agonists*
  • RANK Ligand / metabolism
  • RAW 264.7 Cells
  • Stroke / drug therapy*
  • Stroke / metabolism
  • Stroke / pathology
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / metabolism

Substances

  • Peptides
  • RANK Ligand
  • Tlr4 protein, mouse
  • Tnfsf11 protein, mouse
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4