Lactate receptor, HCAR1, in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

  1. Jennifer Burnsed
  2. Angelina June
  3. Maria Marlicz
  4. Emmy Zucker
  5. Ellie Kain-Kuzienski
  6. Hannah Mulhern
  7. Leanne Maharaj
  8. Chengsan Sun
  9. Suchitra Joshi
  10. Huayu Sun
  11. Jaideep Kapur
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Abstract

Introduction

Hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 1 (HCAR1) is a G-protein coupled receptor for lactate that is expressed in the brain and plays a role in neuronal excitability, angiogenesis, and repair after injury. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is the most common cause of brain injury and seizures in term neonates. The goal of this study was to describe HCAR1 expression and function in the neonatal brain and further understand its role in HIE.

Methods

HCAR1 expression was measured using qRT-PCR in developing mice (postnatal day (p)10, 20, 30, 50). Electrophysiology was used to measure neuronal properties and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSC) in hippocampal principal neurons from HCAR1 knockout and wildtype mice when exposed to lactate. Then, p10 HCAR1 knockout and wildtype mice were exposed to hypoxia-ischemia (HI) and placed on electroencephalography (EEG) to compare seizure burden. HCAR1 expression after neonatal HI was measured with PCR.

Results

HCAR1 is expressed at p10 at similar levels to adults (n=6/group; 1-way ANOVA, p<0.0004). Lactate decreases amplitudes and sEPSC frequency in wildtype (p<0.0001, p<0.001) but not HCAR1 knockout mice (p<0.26, p=0.91). After HI, HCAR1 knockout mice have higher seizure burden (2318s in WT vs. 6497s in KO (p=0.04)) and behavioral seizure scores (4 in WT vs. 6 in KO (p<0.001)) than wildtypes. HCAR1 expression increased 24h post-HI but drops to below baseline at 48h post-HI. (n=3/group; p=0.02).

Conclusion

HCAR1 is expressed on neurons in the developing mouse brain. Lactate decreases neuronal excitability via HCAR1. HCAR1 is upregulated post-HI and mice lacking HCAR1 exhibit worse neonatal HI seizures.

Highlights

  • HCAR1, a G-protein coupled, lactate receptor is expressed in the developing mouse brain

  • HCAR1 is expressed on neurons in the neonatal mouse hippocampus

  • HCAR1 is upregulated 24 hours after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia

  • Mice lacking HCAR1, exhibit worse neonatal hypoxic-ischemic seizures

Article activity feed

  1. Version published to 10.1101/2025.09.16.676275 on bioRxiv