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. 2025 Aug 12:115426.
doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2025.115426. Online ahead of print.

Kapβ2 attenuates post-anesthetic neurocognitive dysfunction by resolving HnRNPA2/B1 fibrillary tangles in a rat model of mild cognitive impairment

Miao Zhang  1 , Xinyi Wang  2 , Chenyi Yang  2 , Zixuan Wang  1 , Huihui Liao  1 , Lin Zhang  1 , Xi Xin  3 , Haiyun Wang  4
Affiliations

Kapβ2 attenuates post-anesthetic neurocognitive dysfunction by resolving HnRNPA2/B1 fibrillary tangles in a rat model of mild cognitive impairment

Miao Zhang et al. Exp Neurol. .

Abstract

Background: Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) before surgery have a higher incidence of perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) and a higher rate of progression to dementia than those without MCI; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNPA2/B1) is an RNA-binding protein (RBP) that forms fibrillary tangles via a steric zipper motif. Abnormal accumulation of HnRNPA2/B1 is strongly correlated with local neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment. However, karyopherin-β2 (Kapβ2), a nuclear import receptor, can specifically recognize hnRNPA2/B1 and alleviate the neurotoxicity caused by its accumulation in the cytoplasm.

Methods: In this study, to explore the role of hnRNPA2/B1 in PND and whether overexpression of Kapβ2 reduces hnRNPA2/B1 fibrillary tangle formation, we compared different anesthetics (3 % sevoflurane, 40 mg/kg/h propofol, and 9 % desflurane) to the incidence of PND, the integrity of hippocampal microstructure, as well as the distribution and function of hnRNPA2/B1 in a rat model of MCI after open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of tibial fractures by using Morris water maze (MWM), brain magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), immunofluorescence staining, RT-qPCR, and western blot. Simultaneously, to assess the effect of Kapβ2 on cognitive function after sevoflurane+surgery, the most severe model for PND, Kapβ2 overexpressing adeno-associated virus was stereotactically injected in the hippocampus of rats.

Results: Sevoflurane induced severe hnRNPA2/B1 fibrillary tangles and cognitive decline. Kapβ2 overexpression reduced cytoplasmic hnRNPA2/B1 accumulation and attenuated cognitive impairment.

Conclusions: This study revealed the pathological mechanism of hnRNPA2/B1 cytoplasmic fibrillary tangle induced by anesthesia used in surgery to promote the occurrence of PND in MCI rats and restored the nuclear localization of hnRNPA2/B1 and neuronal function through the overexpression of Kapβ2, which provides a new idea for perioperative neuroprotection and rehabilitation in patients with MCI who have a high risk of conversion to dementia.

Keywords: Anesthetics; Fibrillary tangle; Kapβ2; Mild cognitive impairment; Perioperative neurocognitive disorders; hnRNPA2/B1.

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