Monogenic, Polygenic, and MicroRNA Markers for Ischemic Stroke.

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a leading disease with high mortality and disability, as well as with limited therapeutic window. Biomarkers for earlier diagnosis of IS have long been pursued. Family and twin studies confirm that genetic variations play an important role in IS pathogenesis.

Protection of melatonin in experimental models of newborn hypoxic-ischemic brain injury through MT1 receptor.

The function of melatonin as a protective agent against newborn hypoxic-ischemic (H-I) brain injury is not yet well studied, and the mechanisms by which melatonin causes neuroprotection in neurological diseases are still evolving. This study was designed to investigate whether expression of MT1 receptors is reduced in newborn H-I brain injury and whether the protective action of melatonin is by alterations of the MT1 receptors. We demonstrated that there was significant reduction in MT1 receptors in ischemic brain of mouse pups in vivo following H-I brain injury and that melatonin offers neuroprotection through upregulation of MT1 receptors.