Kv1.3 Blockade Alleviates White Matter Injury through Reshaping M1/M2 Phenotypes via the NF-KB Signaling Pathway after Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background: White matter injury (WMI) in basal ganglia usually induces long-term disability post intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Kv1.3 is an ion channel expressed in microglia and induces neuroinflammation after ICH. Here, we investigated the functions and roles of Kv1.3 activation-induced inflammatory response in WMI and the Kv1.3 blockade effect on microglia polarization after ICH. Methods: Mice ICH model was constructed by autologous blood injection. The expression of Kv1.3 was measured using immunoblot, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and immunostaining assays. Then, the effect of administration of 5-(4Phenoxybutoxy) psoralen (PAP-1), a selectively pharmacological Kv1.3 blocker, was investigated using open field test (OFT) and basso mouse score (BMS). RT-qPCR, immunoblot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were taken to elucidate the expression of pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory factors around hematoma. PAP-1's function in regulating microglia polarization was investigated using immunoblot, RT-qPCR, and immunostaining assays. The downstream PAP-1 signaling pathway was determined by RT-qPCR and immunoblot. Results: Kv1.3 expression was increased in microglia around the hematoma significantly after ICH. PAP-1 markedly improved neurological outcomes and the WMI by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine accumulation and upregulating anti-inflammatory factors. Mechanistically, PAP-1 reduces NF-KB p65 and p50 activation, thus facilitating microglia polarization into M2-like microglia, which exerts this beneficial effect. Conclusions: PAP-1 reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines accumulation and increased anti-inflammatory factors by facilitating M2-like microglia polarization via the NF-KB signaling pathway. Thus, the current study shows that the Kv1.3 blockade is capable of ameliorating WMI by facilitating M2-like phenotype microglia polarization after ICH.