Early toll-like receptor 4 blockade reduces ROS and inflammation triggered by microglial pro-inflammatory phenotype in rodent and human brain ischaemia models Parada, Esther Casas, Ana I Palomino-Antolín, Alejandra Gomez-Rangel, Vanessa Rubio-Navarro, Alfonso Farré-Alins, Victor Narros-Fernandez, Paloma Guerrero-Hue, Melania Moreno, Juan Antonio Rosa, Juliana M Roda, José M Hernandez-Garcia, Borja J Egea, Javier Background and purpose: Ischaemic stroke is a leading cause of death, disability, and a high unmet medical need. Post-reperfusion inflammation and an up-regulation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), an upstream sensor of innate immunity, are associated with poor outcome in stroke patients. Here, we identified the therapeutic effect of targeting the LPS/TLR4 signal transduction pathway. Experimental approach: We tested the effect of the TLR4 inhibitor, eritoran (E5564) in different in vitro ischaemia-related models: human organotypic cortex culture, rat organotypic hippocampal cultures, and primary mixed glia cultures. We explored the therapeutic window of E5564 in the transient middle cerebral artery occlusion model of cerebral ischaemia in mice. Key results: In vivo, administration of E5564 1 and 4 hr post-ischaemia reduced the expression of different pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, infarct volume, blood-brain barrier breakdown, and improved neuromotor function, an important clinically relevant outcome. In the human organotypic cortex culture, E5564 reduced the activation of microglia and ROS production evoked by LPS. Conclusion and implications: TLR4 signalling has a causal role in the inflammation associated with a poor post-stroke outcome. Importantly, its inhibition by eritoran (E5564) provides neuroprotection both in vitro and in vivo, including in human tissue, suggesting a promising new therapeutic approach for ischaemic stroke. 2025-01-30T10:18:40Z 2025-01-30T10:18:40Z 2019-08 journal article Parada E, Casas AI, Palomino-Antolin A, Gómez-Rangel V, Rubio-Navarro A, Farré-Alins V, Narros-Fernandez P, Guerrero-Hue M, Moreno JA, Rosa JM, Roda JM, Hernández-García BJ, Egea J. Early toll-like receptor 4 blockade reduces ROS and inflammation triggered by microglial pro-inflammatory phenotype in rodent and human brain ischaemia models. Br J Pharmacol. 2019 Aug;176(15):2764-2779. doi: 10.1111/bph.14703. Epub 2019 Jun 17. PMID: 31074003; PMCID: PMC6609554. https://hdl.handle.net/10481/101217 10.1111/bph.14703 eng open access The British Pharmacological Society.