Background and Purpose—: WNK kinases, including WNK3, and the associated downstream Ste20/SPS1-related proline-alanine–rich protein kinase (SPAK) and oxidative stress responsive 1 (OSR1) kinases, comprise an important signaling cascade that regulates the cation-chloride cotransporters. Ischemia-induced stimulation of the bumetanide-sensitive Na ⁺ -K ⁺ -Cl ⁻ cotransporter (NKCC1) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of experimental stroke, but the mechanism of its regulation in this context is unknown. Here, we investigated the WNK3-SPAK/OSR1 pathway as a regulator of NKCC1 stimulation and their collective role in ischemic brain damage. Method—: Wild-type WNK3 and WNK3 knockout mice were subjected to ischemic stroke via transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Infarct volume, brain edema, blood brain barrier damage, white matter demyelination, and neurological deficits were assessed. Total and phosphorylated forms of WNK3 and SPAK/OSR1 were assayed by immunoblotting and immunostaining. In vitro ischemia studies in cultured neurons and immature oligodendrocytes were conducted using the oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation method. Results—: WNK3 knockout mice exhibited significantly decreased infarct volume and axonal demyelination, less cerebral edema, and accelerated neurobehavioral recovery compared with WNK3 wild-type mice subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion. The neuroprotective phenotypes conferred by WNK3 knockout were associated with a decrease in stimulatory hyperphosphorylations of the SPAK/OSR1 catalytic T-loop and of NKCC1 stimulatory sites Thr ²⁰³ /Thr ²⁰⁷ /Thr ²¹² , as well as with decreased cell surface expression of NKCC1. Genetic inhibition of WNK3 or small interfering RNA knockdown of SPAK/OSR1 increased the tolerance of cultured primary neurons and oligodendrocytes to in vitro ischemia. Conclusions—: These data identify a novel role for the WNK3-SPAK/OSR1-NKCC1 signaling pathway in ischemic neuroglial injury and suggest the WNK3-SPAK/OSR1 kinase pathway as a therapeutic target for neuroprotection after ischemic stroke.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex multi-system and age-related neurodegenerative disorder. The intervention targeting neuroinflammation in PD patients is one effective strategy to slow down or inhibit disease progression. Microglia-mediated inflammatory response plays an important role in Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other cerebral diseases. Isobavachalcone is a main component of Chinese herb medicine Psoralea corylifolia, which function includes immunoregulation, anti-oxidation and the regulation of β-amyloid (Aβ42) deposited in hippocampus in Alzheimer's patients. Whether it has the therapeutic effect on Parkinson's disease, however, is unclear. In this study, we found that isobavachalcone could effectively remit Parkinson's disease induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), prolong the residence time of mice on Rota-rod and alleviate the neuronal necrosis. It also inhibited the over-activation of microglia, and decreased the expression of IL-6 and IL-1β in the brain of PD mice. In vitro, isobavachalcone could inhibit nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) pathway through inhibiting the LPS-induced transfer of NF-κB subunit from cytoplasm to nucleus in BV-2 cells. Isobavachalcone decreased the LPS-induced oxidative stress and the expression of inflammatory cytokines, and provided a neuroprotective effect by antagonizing microglia-mediated inflammation. Our results indicated that isobavachalcone may be a candidated drug against Parkinson's disease with great clinical potential.