Deletion of Mitochondrial Uncoupling Protein 2 Exacerbates Mitochondrial Damage in Mice Subjected to Cerebral Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury under both Normo- and Hyperglycemic Conditions

Deletion of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) has been shown to aggravate ischemic damage in the brain. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The objective of this study is to explore the impact of homozygous UCP2 deletion (UCP2-/-) on mitochondrial fission and fusion dynamic balance in ischemic mice under normo- and hyperglycemic conditions. UCP2-/- and wildtype mice were subjected to a 60 min middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and allowed reperfusion for 6h, 24h and 72h. Our results demonstrated that deletion of UCP2 enlarged infarct volumes and increased numbers of cell death in both normo- and hyperglycemic ischemic mice compared with their wildtype counterparts subjected to the same duration of ischemia and reperfusion. The detrimental effects of UCP deletion were associated with increased ROS production, elevated mitochondrial fission markers Drp1 and Fis1 and suppressed fusion markers Opa1 and Mfn2 in UCP2-/- mice. Electron microscopic study demonstrated a marked mitochondrial swolling after 6h of reperfusion in UCP2-/- mice, contrasting to a mild mitochondrial swolling in wildtype ischemic animals. It is concluded that the exacerbating effects of UCP2-/- on ischemic outcome in both normo- and hyperglycemic animals are associated with increased ROS production, disturbed mitochondrial dynamic balance towards fission and early damage to mitochondrial ultrastructure.