The Regulated Cell Death and Potential Interventions in Preterm Infants after Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Area of Science:

• Neonatal neurology
• Neurobiology of cell death
• Pediatric neurosurgery

Background:

• Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a significant comorbidity in preterm infants, leading to long-term neurodevelopmental impairments.
• Current therapeutic options for preventing ICH or managing its neurological consequences in neonates are limited.
• Emerging research on regulated cell death (RCD) offers new insights into secondary brain injury mechanisms.

Approach:

• This review synthesizes current evidence on various RCD pathways implicated in preterm infant ICH.
• It examines apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, autophagy, and PANoptosis in the context of neonatal brain injury.
• Potential therapeutic strategies targeting RCD pathways for neuroprotection are discussed.

Key Points:

• RCD pathways, including apoptosis and ferroptosis, play a critical role in secondary brain injury following ICH in preterm infants.
• Understanding these distinct cell death mechanisms is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
• Specific RCD pathways present viable targets for novel therapeutic strategies.

Conclusions:

• Targeting RCD pathways offers promising therapeutic avenues to mitigate secondary brain injury after ICH in preterm infants.
• Further research into these pathways may lead to effective treatments for neurodevelopmental deficits associated with neonatal ICH.