Usage of LPS to Combat Effects of Stroke

Ali Rai*, Ashley E. Russell, John Z. Cavendish, Maya Vannoy*, Ahmad Dakhlallah*, Heng Hu*, Xuefang Ren, Clay B. Marsh, James W. Simpkins and Duaa Dakhlallah, Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505

Field (Broad Category): Biology-Immunology (Health Sciences) 

Student’s Major: Biomedical Engineering 

In the United States, stroke is a leading cause of both disability and death. There are a variety of factors that contribute to causing strokes, such as diabetes, obesity, and, more recently shown, recent infection. A byproduct of recent infection is a substance known as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which was believed to worsen the effects of stroke. In this study, mice were intermittently exposed to LPS and then a stroke occurred. After the stroke, various factors were measured and tested to determine the severity of the stroke compared to a control group, which was given saline solution as opposed to LPS. In the animals given LPS, it was found that there was a larger infarct volume and increased methylation of genes related to autophagy. The increase in infarct volume means that a larger portion of the brain was damaged by the stroke than the control group. As for the methylation of genes related to autophagy, this meant the many of the autophagy genes were down-regulated, which is harmful because autophagy is a process that helps remove waste and damaged cells, so if this process doesn't occur then the body is more prone to damage. To conclude, application of LPS prior to stroke significantly increases negative affects caused by the stroke. 

Funding: 

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: My efforts were mainly voluntary