Glycan-coated nanoparticles mimicking the ischemic glycocalyx scavenge the complement system conferring protection after experimental ischemic stroke

Glycoproteins lining the luminal endothelial surface form the glycocalyx, composing the tripartite blood brain barrier. We explored the glycocalyx as a source of danger signals for complement lectin pathway after ischemic stroke. Our data indicate that hypoxic microvascular cells increased α-D- mannosyl and N-acetylglucosaminyl exposure after re-oxygenation, favoring mannose binding lectin (MBL) pathogenic deposition, and overexpression of inflammatory genes (ICAM-1 and MMP-2). The hypoxia-conditioned medium induced neuronal damage (reduced MAP-2), microglia and astrocytic reactivity (increased/thickened ramifications) when applied to induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons, astrocytes and microglia co-cultures. All these effects were counteracted by mannose- capped gold nanoparticles (Man-GNPs), shown to bind and sequester MBL from the medium. We then tested the Man-GNPs in vivo, in an ischemic stroke model using humanized mice, knocked-in for human MBL. The ischemic mice (males:females 1:1) treated with Man-GNPs (3h after the ischemic onset) exhibited less anxiety at the elevated plus maze and reduced neuronal loss at 8d after ischemia compared to vehicle-treated. Thus, multivalent Man-GNPs represent a promising approach to take MBL away from its glycoproteic targets on the ischemic endothelium, hence preventing downstream pathogenesis. Moreover, these data support circulating MBL as a druggable pharmacological target to prevent the thrombo-inflammatory events following acute brain injury.