Neurovascular protection afforded by stabilised sulforaphane in a murine model of ischaemic stroke: a role for Nrf2-regulated redox signalling in the blood-brain barrier endothelium (Mr Nathan Siddall)
Many types of antioxidants have been explored in the lab as potential stroke medicines, only to then fail when tested in clinical trials. Research has therefore shifted to focus on the cell’s own antioxidant defence mechanisms. Professor Mann has shown that a substance called sulforaphane switches on a group of protective enzymes that are controlled by a molecule called Nrf2. Giving dietary sulforaphane to mice protected the brain against the damage associated with the stopping and restarting of blood flow that happens during a stroke and following its treatment or recovery In this project they will use mice that have been genetically engineered to lack Nrf2, alongside normal mice, to study the effects of feeding a stabilised version of sulforaphane (SFX-01) before and after stroke. They are interested to learn if the blood-brain barrier is a target of SFX-01. The study will help them to understand the actions of SFX-01 more fully in a living system and will give an idea of the best time during a stroke to use SFX-01, potentially in combination with other treatments. This is essential because the timing of treatment in stroke can be key to a person’s recovery. The results of this research will be essential for the design of future clinical studies where SFX-01 can be tested in patients at risk of ischaemic stroke.
Project details
| Grant amount | £133,602 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Fellowships |
| Application type | PhD Studentship |
| Start Date | 01 August 2019 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | FS/19/25/34277 |
| Status | In Progress |
