Intravenous TAT-GDNF is protective after focal cerebral ischemia in mice

Delivery of therapeutic proteins into tissues and across the blood-brain barrier is severely limited by their size and biochemical properties. The 11-amino acid human immunodeficiency virus TAT protein transduction domain is able to cross cell membranes and the blood-brain barrier, even when coupled with larger peptides. The present studies were done to evaluate whether TAT-glial line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) fusion protein is protective in focal cerebral ischemia.

Anesthetized male C57BL/6j mice were submitted to intraluminal thread occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Reperfusion was initiated 30 minutes later by thread retraction. Laser Doppler flow was monitored during the experiments. TAT-GDNF, TAT-GFP (0.6 nmol each), or vehicle was intravenously applied over 10 minutes immediately after reperfusion. After 3 days (30 minutes of ischemia), animals were reanesthetized and decapitated. Brain injury was evaluated by histochemical stainings.

Immunocytochemical experiments confirmed the presence of TAT-GDNF protein in the brains of fusion protein-treated nonischemic control animals 3 to 4 hours after TAT fusion protein delivery. TAT-GDNF significantly reduced the number of caspase-3-immunoreactive and DNA-fragmented cells and increased the number of viable neurons in the striatum, where disseminated tissue injury was observed, compared with TAT-GFP- or vehicle-treated animals.

Our results demonstrate that TAT fusion proteins are powerful tools for the treatment of focal ischemia when delivered both before and after an ischemic insult. This approach may be of clinical interest because such fusion proteins can be intravenously applied and reach the ischemic brain regions. This approach may therefore offer new perspectives for future strategies in stroke therapy.