Aims: Sphingosine kinase 1 (Sphk1) and the signaling molecule sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) are known to be key regulators of a variety of important biological processes, such as neovascularization. Nitric oxide (NO) is also known to play a role in vasoactive properties, whether Sphk1/S1P signaling is able to alter angiogenesis in the context of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), and whether such activity is linked with NO production, however, remains uncertain. Methods:We used immunofluorescence to detect the expression of Sphk1 and NOS in cerebral epithelial cells (EC) after IR or oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGDR).Western blotting was used to detect the Sphk1 and NOS protein levels in brain tissues or HBMECs. Adenovirus transfection was used to inhibit Sphk1 and NOS. An NO kit was used to detect NO contents in brain tissues and epithelial cells. Tube formation assays were conducted to measure angiogenesis. Results:We determined that EC used in a model of cerebral IRI expressed Sphk1, and that inhibiting this expression led to decreased expression of two isoforms of NO synthase (eNOS and iNOS), as well as to decrease neovascularization density and NO production following injury. In HBMECs, knocking down Sphk1 markedly reduced NO production owing to reduced eNOS activity, and inhibiting eNOS directly similarly decreased NO production in a manner which could be reversed via exogenously treating cells with S1P. We further found that knocking down Sphk1 reduced HBMEC eNOS expression, in addition to decreasing the adhesion, migration, and tube formation abilities of these cells under OGDR conditions. Conclusions:Based on these results, we therefore postulate that Sphk1/S1P signaling is able to mediate angiogenesis following cerebral IRI via the regulation of eNOS activity and NO production. As such, targeting these pathways may potentially represent a novel means of improving patient prognosis in those suffering from cerebral IRI. K E Y W O R D S cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, endothelial cell, nitric oxide, sphingosine kinase 1, sphingosine-1-phosphate | 539 LV et aL. S U PP O RTI N G I N FO R M ATI O N Additional supporting information may be found online in the Supporting Information section. How to cite this article: Lv M-H, Li S, Jiang Y-J, Zhang W. The Sphkl/SlP pathway regulates angiogenesis via NOS/NO synthesis following cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. CNS

Microglial hyperactivation mediated by sphingosine kinase 1/sphingosine‐1‐phosphate (SphK1/S1P) signalling and the consequent inflammatory mediator production serve as the key drivers of cerebral ischaemia–reperfusion injury (CIRI). Although SphK1 reportedly controls autophagy and microglial activation, it remains uncertain as to whether SphK1 is similarly capable of regulating damage mediated by CIRI‐activated microglia. In the current study, we adopted both in vitro oxygen–glucose deprivation reperfusion (OGDR) models and in vivo rat models of focal CIRI to ascertain this possibility. It was found that CIRI upregulated SphK1 and induced autophagy in microglia, while inhibiting these changes significantly impaired to prevented neuronal apoptosis. Results of mechanistic investigation revealed that SphK1 promoted autophagy via the tumour necrosis factor receptor associated factor 2 (TRAF2) pathway. Altogether, our findings unfolded to reveal a novel mechanism, whereby SphK1‐induced autophagy in microglia contributed to the pathogenesis of CIRI, potentially highlighting novel avenues for future therapeutic intervention in ischaemic stroke patients.

Background: Microglial hyperactivation driven by SphK1/S1P signaling and consequent inflammatory mediator production is a key driver of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). While SphK1 reportedly controls autophagy and microglial activation, it remains uncertain as to whether it is similarly able to regulate damage mediated by CIRI-activated microglia. Methods: In the present study, we utilized both an in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation reperfusion (OGDR) model and an in vivo rat model of focal CIRI to test whether Sphk1 and autophagy is expressed in microglia. Western blot analysis was used to estimate the autophagy protein level (LC3 and SQSTM ) at different time points after OGDR. To detect cytokine secretion in microglial supernatants in response to OGDR, we measured the concentration of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the culture supernatants using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To evaluate whether microglia subjected to OGDR exhibited neuronal injury, we used a commercially available terminal transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) kit and flow cytometry to detect apoptotic neurons.Results: We determined that in the context of CIRI, microglia upregulated SphK1 and induced autophagy, while inhibiting these changes by lentivirus targeting SphK1 significantly decreased expression of autophagy . Moreover, we determined that autophagic body formation was enhanced in cerebral tissues following I/R. We also explored the impact of SphK1-induced autophagy on microglial inflammatory cytokine production and associated neuronal apoptosis using an in vitro OGDR model system. At a mechanistic level, we found that SphK1 promotes autophagy via the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) pathway. Conclusion: These results reveal a novel mechanism whereby SphK1-induced autophagy in microglia can contribute to the pathogenesis of CIRI, potentially highlighting novel avenues for future therapeutic intervention in IS patients.