Abstract 104: Cytochrome B5 Reductase 3 Regulates The Erythropoietin Response To Ischemic Stroke In A Mouse Model Of Chronic Anemia And Oxidative Stress

Introduction: Cytochrome b5 reductase 3 (Cyb5R3) is a heme iron reductase that reverses oxidized soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) heme iron (Fe 3+ Fe 2+ ) to preserve nitric oxide signaling. Under oxidative stress, such as occurs with sickle cell disease (SCD) and ischemic stroke, Cyb5R3 redox signaling provides resilience against tissue damage. A loss-of-function (roughly 50%) Cyb5R3 missense variant (T117S) occurs with high frequency (0.23 minor allele) in persons of African ancestry, who also suffer a greater burden of sickle cell anemia and ischemic stroke than other races. We hypothesized that Cyb5R3 regulates the erythropoietin response to ischemic stroke in a mouse model of SCD. Methods: Age-matched male SCD mice with wild-type Cyb5R3 (SS WT ) or T117S Cyb5R3 (SS T117S ) underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion (55 min) and reperfusion (48 hr). Blood was sampled at baseline and 48h reperfusion for hematology measurements. Brains were stained with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride to quantify infarct volume. Erythropoietin (EPO), heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1) and sGC were assayed by Western blot. Results: We found brain infarct volume to be greater in SS T117S vs SS WT (63 vs 27 cm 3 , respectively; P=0.003). Red cells, hematocrit and hemoglobin decreased in SS T117S post-stroke, which was opposite to SS WT (red cells: -13% vs 13%, P=0.01; hematocrit: -20% vs 0%, P=0.03; hemoglobin: -18% vs 3%, P=0.02, respectively). In the absence of stroke (age-matched controls), SS WT had elevated HMOX1 protein compared to SS T117S , which normalized in post-stroke SS WT but was unchanged in post-stroke SS T117S . Kidney and plasma EPO levels significantly increased in SS WT post-stroke, but not in SS T117S . In vitro studies using HEK293 cells showed EPO and HMOX1 decrease with Cyb5R3 knockdown by siRNA. Conclusion: Our findings suggest a modifying role for Cyb5R3 in brain-kidney crosstalk during ischemic stroke, wherein loss of T117S Cyb5R3 activity negatively impacts renal and plasma EPO levels and resilience against infarct of ischemic brain tissue. The Cyb5R3 axis on which the brain-kidney-blood response to stroke in SCD turns represents a novel target for precision medicine approaches to managing stroke risk and pathology in SCD carriers of the T117S variant.