{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Treatment with β-sitosterol ameliorates the effects of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by suppressing cholesterol overload, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and apoptosis.
{Author}: Tang X;Yan T;Wang S;Liu Q;Yang Q;Zhang Y;Li Y;Wu Y;Liu S;Ma Y;Yang L;
{Journal}: Neural Regen Res
{Volume}: 19
{Issue}: 3
{Year}: 2024 Mar
{Factor}: 6.058
{DOI}: 10.4103/1673-5374.380904
{Abstract}: β-Sitosterol is a type of phytosterol that occurs naturally in plants. Previous studies have shown that it has anti-oxidant, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anti-tumor effects, but it is unknown whether β-sitosterol treatment reduces the effects of ischemic stroke. Here we found that, in a mouse model of ischemic stroke induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion, β-sitosterol reduced the volume of cerebral infarction and brain edema, reduced neuronal apoptosis in brain tissue, and alleviated neurological dysfunction; moreover, β-sitosterol increased the activity of oxygen- and glucose-deprived cerebral cortex neurons and reduced apoptosis. Further investigation showed that the neuroprotective effects of β-sitosterol may be related to inhibition of endoplasmic reticulum stress caused by intracellular cholesterol accumulation after ischemic stroke. In addition, β-sitosterol showed high affinity for NPC1L1, a key transporter of cholesterol, and antagonized its activity. In conclusion, β-sitosterol may help treat ischemic stroke by inhibiting neuronal intracellular cholesterol overload/endoplasmic reticulum stress/apoptosis signaling pathways.