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Updated: Sep 14, 2025
Gold Nanorod-assisted Optical Stimulation of Neuronal Cells
Published on: April 27, 2015
Single atom-substituted gold nanoclusters for alleviating neural injury induced by deep hypothermic circulatory
Jiahui Wang1, Yang Cao2, Yadong Zhe2
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China.
Background:
Neurological deficit is a common complication of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). Among the diverse factors contributing to neural injury, oxidative stress plays a prominent role. Emerging nanocluster technology has demonstrated considerable antioxidant and anti-inflammation activity. In this study, we developed a novel type of nanocluster for the treatment of neural injury induced by DHCA.
Methods:
Single atom-substituted gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) were synthesized. PC-12 cells subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) and a rat DHCA model were employed. Cell viability was evaluated via Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). Histopathological changes in the hippocampus were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining. S100 calcium-binding protein β (S100β), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), malondialdehyde (MDA), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Expression of S100β, caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-3 was assessed via Western blotting.
Results:
AuNCs exhibited strong antioxidant capacities, mimicking superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. In vitro studies demonstrated improved neuronal survival following OGD/R. In vivo, DHCA-induced hippocampal damage was significantly alleviated by AuNCs treatment, as evidenced by reduced histological neuronal degeneration, decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β), and downregulation of apoptotic markers (caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-3).
Conclusions:
The newly developed AuNCs alleviated the neural injury induced by DHCA through anti-inflammation, antioxidant, and anti-apoptosis activity. These findings offer a novel avenue for achieving perioperative brain protection in clinical DHCA and provide a new direction for developing catalysts in medical applications.
