REGULATION OF NA+/K+ ATPASE α1 EXPRESSION IN NEURONAL CELLS AND ITS ROLE IN BRAIN PROTECTION AND CELL PROLIFERATION

Abstract

Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) is a large transmembrane protein pump expressed in all cells. It is essential for the maintenance of membrane potential and neuronal excitability through ion exchanging. New roles of NKA as a signal transducer were also revealed in last decades. Preservation of the physiological function and membrane stability was found to relieve ischemic stroke though underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In the first part of this study, it was found that NKA can relieve ischemic injuries through the regulation of autophagy. The interaction status between NKA and AMPK serves as the switch of autophagy flux and provides a self-rescuing mechanism during starvation. The second part indicated that NKA can negatively regulate inflammasome cascades and ameliorate inflammasome-dependent pyroptosis in neuronal cells under hypoxia. All these data elaborate the novel physiological roles of NKA in ischemic stroke, providing a platform for the development of possible intervention targets in clinical research.