中国神经再生研究(英文版) ›› 2026, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (2): 756-768.doi: 10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-24-00999

• 原著:脑损伤修复保护与再生 • 上一篇    下一篇

Shh信号调节脑缺血性脑卒中纤维化瘢痕的形成:通过Smad3磷酸化调节MFN2表达

  

  • 出版日期:2026-02-15 发布日期:2025-05-24

Fibrotic scar formation after cerebral ischemic stroke: Targeting the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway for scar reduction

Jun Wen1, #, Hao Tang1, #, Mingfen Tian1 , Ling Wang1 , Qinghuan Yang1 , Yong Zhao1 , Xuemei Li2 , Yu Ren1 , Jiani Wang1 , Li Zhou1 , Yongjun Tan1 , Haiyun Wu1 , Xinrui Cai1 , Yilin Wang1 , Hui Cao3 , Jianfeng Xu3 , Qin Yang1, *   

  1. 1 Department of Neurology, The Frist Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China;  2 Department of Neurology, Second People’s Hospital of Chongqing Banan District, Chongqing, China;  3 Department of Neurosurgery, Third Hospital of Mianyang, Mianyang, Sichuan Province, China
  • Online:2026-02-15 Published:2025-05-24
  • Contact: Qin Yang, MD, PhD, xyqh200@126.com.
  • Supported by:
    This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Nos. 82171456 (to QY) and 81971229 (to QY); the Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing, Nos. CSTC2021JCYJ-MSXMX0263 (to QY) and CSTB2023NSCQ-MSX1015 (to XL); Doctoral Innovation Project of The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Nos. CYYY-BSYJSCXXM-202318 (to JW) and CYYY-BSYJSCXXM-202327 (to HT).

摘要:

最近有研究表明,脑缺血损伤后纤维化瘢痕的形成对预后有着双重的影响。然而,目前对纤维化的形成和调节尚知之甚少。成纤维细胞是纤维化瘢痕的主要细胞。Shh信号通路可参与心脏、肝脏、肺和肾脏的纤维化。然而,尚不清楚Shh信号是否以及以何种方式调节脑缺血性卒中纤维化瘢痕的形成。为此,实验首先发现Shh在急性缺血性脑卒中患者和大脑中动脉闭塞再灌注大鼠模型中表达上调。Shh和MFN2在大脑中动脉闭塞再灌注诱导的体内纤维化模型和转化生长因子β1诱导的体外纤维化模型中表达上调。激活Shh信号可增加磷酸化Smad3和MFN2蛋白的表达,促进纤维化瘢痕形成,保护突触或促进突触发生,减轻大脑中动脉闭塞再灌注损伤后的神经功能缺损,减少细胞凋亡,促进脑膜成纤维细胞向肌成纤维细胞转化,增强脑膜成纤维细胞的增殖和迁移。然而,在体内和体外实验中,Smad3磷酸化抑制剂SIS3逆转了Shh信号通路激活的这些作用。此外,生物信息学分析显示,Shh与Smad3、Shh与MFN2以及Smad3与MFN2之间存在显著相关性。上述发现表明,Shh信号传导可通过调节Smad3磷酸化来影响MFN2的表达,从而调节脑缺血性脑卒中早期纤维化瘢痕的形成并影响预后。因此Shh信号通路可能成为脑卒中治疗的新靶点。

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4040-1661 (Qin Yang)

Abstract: Recent studies have shown that fibrotic scar formation following cerebral ischemic injury has varying effects depending on the microenvironment. However, little is known about how fibrosis is induced and regulated after cerebral ischemic injury. Sonic hedgehog signaling participates in fibrosis in the heart, liver, lung, and kidney. Whether Shh signaling modulates fibrotic scar formation after cerebral ischemic stroke and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. In this study, we found that Sonic Hedgehog expression was upregulated in patients with acute ischemic stroke and in a middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion injury rat model. Both Sonic hedgehog and Mitofusin 2 showed increased expression in the middle cerebral artery occlusion rat model and in vitro fibrosis cell model induced by transforming growth factor-beta 1. Activation of the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway enhanced the expression of phosphorylated Smad 3 and Mitofusin 2 proteins, promoted the formation of fibrotic scars, protected synapses or promoted synaptogenesis, alleviated neurological deficits following middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion injury, reduced cell apoptosis, facilitated the transformation of meninges fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, and enhanced the proliferation and migration of meninges fibroblasts. The Smad3 phosphorylation inhibitor SIS3 reversed the effects induced by Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway activation. Bioinformatics analysis revealed significant correlations between Sonic hedgehog and Smad3, between Sonic hedgehog and Mitofusin 2, and between Smad3 and Mitofusin 2. These findings suggest that Sonic hedgehog signaling may influence Mitofusin 2 expression by regulating Smad3 phosphorylation, thereby modulating the formation of early fibrotic scars following cerebral ischemic stroke and affecting prognosis. The Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway may serve as a new therapeutic target for stroke treatment.

Key words: central nervous system, fibroblasts, fibrosis, ischemic stroke, Mitofusin 2, middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion, P-Smad3, Sonic Hedgehog, Smad3, TOM20