Protocatechuic acid suppresses ferroptosis to protect against hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy by targeting the HIF-1α/VEGFA axis

Background

Patients with Hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) face substantial risks of poor neurological outcomes and fatal complications, imposing a substantial clinical burden. Protocatechuic acid (PCA), a safe, water-soluble antioxidant with demonstrated neuroprotective properties, has emerged as a promising perinatal therapeutic candidate. However, its mechanisms of action in HIE remain poorly understood. Notably, previous research on HIE has primarily focused on neuronal cells, with limited attention paid to its effects on endothelial cells. Our study emphasizes the role of PCA in cerebral endothelial cells and the subsequent impact of the altered microenvironment on neuronal cells, which may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for HIE.

Purpose

Our subject discuss the role and mechanisms of PCA in HIE.

Study design

This study observed that PCA exhibits a mitigating effect on HIE, prompting further investigation. Utilizing network pharmacology and RNA sequencing analysis, we elucidated the pathways through which PCA exerts its effects on HIE. Subsequently, we conducted verification using animal and cellular models.

Methods

The Rice-Vannucci technique was used to generate neonatal HIE, and Bend. 3 cells were used to create an oxygen–glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model. To clarify the neuroprotective mechanisms of PCA, a thorough multidisciplinary approach was used, including network pharmacology, RNA sequencing, TTC staining, behavioral evaluations, western blotting, and immunofluorescence.

Results

The results showed that PCA helps prevent ferroptosis and reduces damage caused by HIE, suggesting it could be a useful treatment in medicine. In vivo, PCA improved neurological outcomes, reduced the infarct volume, and alleviated HIE-related pathological changes by enhancing VEGFA nuclear translocation and activating the hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α)/VEGFA signaling pathway in cerebrovascular endothelial cells. In vitro, PCA suppressed oxidative stress and ferroptosis marker levels, effects that were reversed by the HIF-1α inhibitor PX-478, and co-culture with neuronal cells alleviated OGD/R-induced neuronal confirming the critical role of this pathway in PCA-mediated neuroprotection.

Conclusion

In conclusion, PCA confers robust protection against ferroptosis-mediated damage in HIE, with its neuroprotective effects mechanistically linked to the regulation of ferroptosis through the HIF-1α/VEGFA axis in brain microvascular endothelial cells. Moreover, PCA-modified endothelial cell microenvironment ameliorates neuronal damage following injury. These results highlight PCA's therapeutic potential and lay the groundwork for additional translational studies.