Surgical brain injury (SBI) is the inadvertent injury to brain tissue at the perisurgical site which occurs due to neurosurgical maneuvers such as incision, retraction, and electrocoagulation that can result in post-operative complications. Blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption and neuroinflammation are major pathophysiological consequences after neurosurgical injury. Blood brain barrier dysfunction leads to increased influx of water and plasma proteins as well as peripheral immune cell infiltration into the brain parenchyma that further potentiates brain edema and worsens post-operative neurological function. Activated resident immune cells and infiltrated peripheral immune cells release inflammatory mediators and promote oxidative stress and cell death which contributes to neuroinflammation and progression of injury.
In this project we have identified Slit2, an extracellular matrix protein expressed endogenously in the brain, as a potential therapeutic target for reducing SBI-induced complications. Our central hypothesis was that Slit2 will increase after SBI as an endogenous protective mechanism, and recombinant Slit2 pretreatment will reduce neuroinflammation and stabilize the BBB via Robo receptor signaling pathway. The dual effects of Slit2— anti-migratory and anti- permeability—were explored under three aims using the rat SBI model. The first aim evaluated the role of Slit2 in reducing neuroinflammation and BBB permeability after SBI. The second aim investigated the role of Slit2 and its receptor Robo1 in reducing neuroinflammation after SBI. Lastly, the third aim investigated the role of Slit2 and its receptor Robo4 in stabilizing the BBB after SBI.
Our findings showed that endogenous Slit2 increased in the perisurgical site in response to injury and had a protective function after SBI. Exogenous recombinant Slit2 pretreatment attenuated brain edema and neuroinflammation and thereby improved neurological function after SBI. Furthermore, we observed that recombinant Slit2 reduced neuroinflammation after SBI by inhibiting peripheral immune cell infiltration to the injury site possibly through Robo1-srGAP1 pathway mediated Cdc42 inactivation. Lastly, we elucidated that recombinant Slit2 reduced BBB permeability by stabilizing endothelial tight junction after experimental SBI possibly via Robo4-paxillin dependent Rac1 activation.
These observations suggest that Slit2 may be beneficial to reduce neurosurgical injury and improve post-operative outcomes in neurosurgical patients.
","abstract_html":"<p>Surgical brain injury (SBI) is the inadvertent injury to brain tissue at the perisurgical site which occurs due to neurosurgical maneuvers such as incision, retraction, and electrocoagulation that can result in post-operative complications. Blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption and neuroinflammation are major pathophysiological consequences after neurosurgical injury. Blood brain barrier dysfunction leads to increased influx of water and plasma proteins as well as peripheral immune cell infiltration into the brain parenchyma that further potentiates brain edema and worsens post-operative neurological function. Activated resident immune cells and infiltrated peripheral immune cells release inflammatory mediators and promote oxidative stress and cell death which contributes to neuroinflammation and progression of injury.</p> <p>In this project we have identified Slit2, an extracellular matrix protein expressed endogenously in the brain, as a potential therapeutic target for reducing SBI-induced complications. Our central hypothesis was that Slit2 will increase after SBI as an endogenous protective mechanism, and recombinant Slit2 pretreatment will reduce neuroinflammation and stabilize the BBB via Robo receptor signaling pathway. The dual effects of Slit2— anti-migratory and anti- permeability—were explored under three aims using the rat SBI model. The first aim evaluated the role of Slit2 in reducing neuroinflammation and BBB permeability after SBI. The second aim investigated the role of Slit2 and its receptor Robo1 in reducing neuroinflammation after SBI. Lastly, the third aim investigated the role of Slit2 and its receptor Robo4 in stabilizing the BBB after SBI.</p> <p>Our findings showed that endogenous Slit2 increased in the perisurgical site in response to injury and had a protective function after SBI. Exogenous recombinant Slit2 pretreatment attenuated brain edema and neuroinflammation and thereby improved neurological function after SBI. Furthermore, we observed that recombinant Slit2 reduced neuroinflammation after SBI by inhibiting peripheral immune cell infiltration to the injury site possibly through Robo1-srGAP1 pathway mediated Cdc42 inactivation. Lastly, we elucidated that recombinant Slit2 reduced BBB permeability by stabilizing endothelial tight junction after experimental SBI possibly via Robo4-paxillin dependent Rac1 activation.</p> <p>These observations suggest that Slit2 may be beneficial to reduce neurosurgical injury and improve post-operative outcomes in neurosurgical patients.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sherchan, Prativa"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Basic Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Zhang, John H.","Gridley, Daila","Hartman, Richard E.","Obenaus, Andre","Tang, Jiping"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-03-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-03-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:38Z","subjects":["Medical Physiology","Medical Sciences","Medicine and Health Sciences","Neurology","Neurosciences","Brain Injuries - Physiopathology; Brain - Surgery; Postoperative Complications; Brain Edema; Neurogenic Inflammation; Blood-Brain Barrier","Surgical Brain Injury; Neurosurgical maneuvers; Post-operative neurological function; Brain parenchyma; Slit2; Extracellular Matrix Protein"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/329","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Zhang, John H.","Gridley, Daila","Hartman, Richard E.","Obenaus, Andre","Tang, Jiping"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Sherchan, Prativa"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Basic Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Medical Physiology","Medical Sciences","Medicine and Health Sciences","Neurology","Neurosciences","Brain Injuries - Physiopathology; Brain - Surgery; Postoperative Complications; Brain Edema; Neurogenic Inflammation; Blood-Brain Barrier","Surgical Brain Injury; Neurosurgical maneuvers; Post-operative neurological function; Brain parenchyma; Slit2; Extracellular Matrix Protein"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/329"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Surgical brain injury (SBI) is the inadvertent injury to brain tissue at the perisurgical site which occurs due to neurosurgical maneuvers such as incision, retraction, and electrocoagulation that can result in post-operative complications. Blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption and neuroinflammation are major pathophysiological consequences after neurosurgical injury. Blood brain barrier dysfunction leads to increased influx of water and plasma proteins as well as peripheral immune cell infiltration into the brain parenchyma that further potentiates brain edema and worsens post-operative neurological function. Activated resident immune cells and infiltrated peripheral immune cells release inflammatory mediators and promote oxidative stress and cell death which contributes to neuroinflammation and progression of injury.
In this project we have identified Slit2, an extracellular matrix protein expressed endogenously in the brain, as a potential therapeutic target for reducing SBI-induced complications. Our central hypothesis was that Slit2 will increase after SBI as an endogenous protective mechanism, and recombinant Slit2 pretreatment will reduce neuroinflammation and stabilize the BBB via Robo receptor signaling pathway. The dual effects of Slit2— anti-migratory and anti- permeability—were explored under three aims using the rat SBI model. The first aim evaluated the role of Slit2 in reducing neuroinflammation and BBB permeability after SBI. The second aim investigated the role of Slit2 and its receptor Robo1 in reducing neuroinflammation after SBI. Lastly, the third aim investigated the role of Slit2 and its receptor Robo4 in stabilizing the BBB after SBI.
Our findings showed that endogenous Slit2 increased in the perisurgical site in response to injury and had a protective function after SBI. Exogenous recombinant Slit2 pretreatment attenuated brain edema and neuroinflammation and thereby improved neurological function after SBI. Furthermore, we observed that recombinant Slit2 reduced neuroinflammation after SBI by inhibiting peripheral immune cell infiltration to the injury site possibly through Robo1-srGAP1 pathway mediated Cdc42 inactivation. Lastly, we elucidated that recombinant Slit2 reduced BBB permeability by stabilizing endothelial tight junction after experimental SBI possibly via Robo4-paxillin dependent Rac1 activation.
These observations suggest that Slit2 may be beneficial to reduce neurosurgical injury and improve post-operative outcomes in neurosurgical patients.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Role of Slit2 in Reducing Complications after Surgical Brain Injury"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Zhang, John H.","Gridley, Daila","Hartman, Richard E.","Obenaus, Andre","Tang, Jiping"],"dc:creator":["Sherchan, Prativa"],"dc:description.abstract":["Surgical brain injury (SBI) is the inadvertent injury to brain tissue at the perisurgical site which occurs due to neurosurgical maneuvers such as incision, retraction, and electrocoagulation that can result in post-operative complications. Blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption and neuroinflammation are major pathophysiological consequences after neurosurgical injury. Blood brain barrier dysfunction leads to increased influx of water and plasma proteins as well as peripheral immune cell infiltration into the brain parenchyma that further potentiates brain edema and worsens post-operative neurological function. Activated resident immune cells and infiltrated peripheral immune cells release inflammatory mediators and promote oxidative stress and cell death which contributes to neuroinflammation and progression of injury.
In this project we have identified Slit2, an extracellular matrix protein expressed endogenously in the brain, as a potential therapeutic target for reducing SBI-induced complications. Our central hypothesis was that Slit2 will increase after SBI as an endogenous protective mechanism, and recombinant Slit2 pretreatment will reduce neuroinflammation and stabilize the BBB via Robo receptor signaling pathway. The dual effects of Slit2— anti-migratory and anti- permeability—were explored under three aims using the rat SBI model. The first aim evaluated the role of Slit2 in reducing neuroinflammation and BBB permeability after SBI. The second aim investigated the role of Slit2 and its receptor Robo1 in reducing neuroinflammation after SBI. Lastly, the third aim investigated the role of Slit2 and its receptor Robo4 in stabilizing the BBB after SBI.
Our findings showed that endogenous Slit2 increased in the perisurgical site in response to injury and had a protective function after SBI. Exogenous recombinant Slit2 pretreatment attenuated brain edema and neuroinflammation and thereby improved neurological function after SBI. Furthermore, we observed that recombinant Slit2 reduced neuroinflammation after SBI by inhibiting peripheral immune cell infiltration to the injury site possibly through Robo1-srGAP1 pathway mediated Cdc42 inactivation. Lastly, we elucidated that recombinant Slit2 reduced BBB permeability by stabilizing endothelial tight junction after experimental SBI possibly via Robo4-paxillin dependent Rac1 activation.
These observations suggest that Slit2 may be beneficial to reduce neurosurgical injury and improve post-operative outcomes in neurosurgical patients.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/329"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Medical Physiology","Medical Sciences","Medicine and Health Sciences","Neurology","Neurosciences","Brain Injuries - Physiopathology; Brain - Surgery; Postoperative Complications; Brain Edema; Neurogenic Inflammation; Blood-Brain Barrier","Surgical Brain Injury; Neurosurgical maneuvers; Post-operative neurological function; Brain parenchyma; Slit2; Extracellular Matrix Protein"],"dc:title":["Role of Slit2 in Reducing Complications after Surgical Brain Injury"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Basic Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:38Z"}