Cerium oxide nanoparticles with antioxidative neurorestoration for ischemic stroke

Oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage are the main mechanisms of ischemia-reperfusion injury in ischemic stroke. Herein, cerium oxide nanoparticles with powerful free radical scavenging ability were used as carriers to load dl-3-n-butylphthalide (NBP–CeO₂ NPs) for the combined treatment of ischemic stroke. NBP-CeO₂ NPs could eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells and hippocampal neurons after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R), and also save mitochondrial membrane potential, morphology, and function, thus alleviating the in vitro blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption and neuronal apoptosis. In the middle cerebral artery embolization/recanalization (MCAO/R) mouse model, the NBP-CeO₂ NPs also possessed superior ROS scavenging ability, protected mitochondria, and preserved BBB integrity, thereby reducing cerebral infarction and cerebral edema and inhibiting neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis. The long-term neurobehavioral tests indicated that the NBP-CeO₂ NPs significantly improved sensorimotor function and spatial learning ability by promoting angiogenesis after ischemic stroke. Therefore, the NBP-CeO₂ NPs provided a novel therapeutic approach for ischemic stroke by combining antioxidant and neurovascular repair abilities, highlighting its wide application in ischemia-reperfusion injury.