2. Academic Validation
  3. Artesunate demonstrates neuroprotective effect through activation of lysosomal function and inhibition of cGAS-STING pathway

Artesunate demonstrates neuroprotective effect through activation of lysosomal function and inhibition of cGAS-STING pathway

  • Neuropharmacology. 2025 Jul 1:272:110426. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2025.110426.
Hongqiao Wei 1,  Yongxin Chen 2,  Zhenmin Qin 1,  Honglei Wang 1,  Yujia Liu 1,  Tang Song 1,  Yong Wu 3,  Wanxiang Hu 1,  Xiaowei Huang 3,  Guodong Lu 4,  Jing Zhou 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
  • 2 Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
  • 3 Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
  • 4 Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China. Electronic address: lugd@fudan.edu.cn.
  • 5 Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Basic Research on Regional Diseases (Guangxi Medical University), Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Electronic address: zhoujing@gxmu.edu.cn.
PMID: 40118208 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2025.110426
Abstract

Artesunate, a derivative of artemisinin, has a variety of pharmacological effects. Its potential application in ischemic brain injury still largely unknown. This study investigated the therapeutic effect and pharmacological mechanism of artesunate in neuronal injury following cerebral ischemia, and explore the potential role of lysosomal function and cGAS-STING signaling pathway in ischemia injury and artesunate treatment. Studies in rat models have revealed that artesunate can ameliorate neuronal injury and improve learning and memory function following ischemic insults. Furthermore, both in vivo and in vitro studies have confirmed that artesunate can protect neural cells from ischemic injury-induced cell death. Mechanistically, artesunate appears to exert its neuroprotective actions by activating lysosomal function and inhibiting the cGAS-STING pathway-mediated inflammatory response. Our findings provide valuable insights into the therapeutic effects of artesunate exerting a neuroprotective role in chronic ischemic brain injury by activating lysosomal function, inhibiting the cGAS-STING pathway, and regulating the inflammatory response. This study offers a potential therapeutic strategy by regulating lysosome for the treatment of stroke and related neurological disorders.

Keywords

Artesunate; Cerebral ischemic injury; Inflammatory factors; Lysosome; cGAS-STING pathway.

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