基于应激颗粒的中药神经保护研究设想

Stress granules (SG) are membrane-free dense granules present in the cytoplasm that act as cytoprotective agents by wrapping mRNA, transcription initiation factors, and RNA-binding proteins and other important components of the translation initiation phase, resulting in a transient protein translation block when cells are subjected to adverse stimuli. This cellular process is a self-protection mechanism for cells. It was found that SG were widely distributed in neurons, astrocytes, microglia, purkinje cell in the hippocampus and cortex, and the biological processes involve abnormal protein aggregation, synaptic maturation and plasticity, immune regulation, antioxidant stress response, and inhibition of apoptosis. For instance, SG participate the misfolding and abnormal accumulation of the essential protein, synaptic maturation and plasticity, it also exhibits immunoregulation, anti-oxidation and prevention of cell apoptosis in neuronal cells, so as to contribute to the neuronal function recovery. Accordingly, SG are considered as an alternative approach for treatment of stroke and neurodegenerative disease. In particular, its diversified substance composition and widely involved biological process provide a new vision for the study of TCM syndrome biology and the traditional treatments of TCM such as “different treatment of the same disease” and “holistic regulation”. Here, the principal character, neuroprotective functions and related research methods are systematically reviewed. At the same time, taking acute ischemic stroke as an example, the modern biological phenomenon of SG is tried to incorporate into the modern research of TCM, and research inspiration and ideas are put forward in order to explain the relevant theories and treatments of TCM in a scientific way and provide reference for other researchers.