The Roles of E3 Ubiquitin Ligases in Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Abstract

The temporary or permanent occlusion of cerebral blood vessels results in ischemic stroke (IS). Ischemia per se causes focal neuronal damage, and the subsequent ischemia-reperfusion injury that occurs after blood flow restoration further compromises brain tissue and cells in the neurovascular unit, significantly contributing to poor patient outcomes and functional impairments. Current research indicates that the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays a crucial role in the pathological processes associated with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). Notably, E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligases, which are essential in the UPS, have garnered increasing attention as potential novel therapeutic targets for treating ischemia-reperfusion damage in the brain. This review focuses primarily on the background of E3 Ub ligases and explores their intricate relationships with the pathological processes of CIRI.

Keywords: E3 ubiquitin ligases; cell death; cerebral ischemia–reperfusion injury; inflammation; mitophagy.

Figure 1

Processes of the UPS.

Figure 2

Classic members of the E3 ligase family participate in modulating the neuroinflammatory pathways triggered during the process of CIRI.

Figure 3

Classic members of the E3 ligase family participate in regulating neuronal death, including mitophagy/apoptosis and necroptosis/ferroptosis, during the process of CIRI.