Association between CD36 and ischemic stroke: consequential or coincidental?

Abstract

CD36 is a transmembrane protein that plays a role in various biological processes, including oxidized low-density lipoprotein and fatty acid uptake as well as regulatory control for inflammation signaling. Its robust expression in monocytes and macrophages associated with its ability to translocate fatty acids linked this scavenger receptor to foam cell formation and atherosclerosis. In the context of ischemic stroke, CD36 has been shown to contribute to brain injury and inflammation. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that CD36 expression increases in the brain after stroke and that inhibiting CD36 can reduce infarction size and improve neurological outcomes in animal models. These findings suggest that CD36 may be a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke. However, no clinical trials addressing CD36 and acute ischemic stroke are registered in the American or European databases. This review will discuss the relationship between CD36 and ischemic stroke and present some clinical findings in patients with single nucleotide polymorphisms of the CD36 gene.

Keywords

CD36 / acute ischemic stroke / inflammation / CD36^–/– mouse model

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