Flufenamic acid improves survival and neurologic outcome after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation in mice

BACKGROUND: Brain injury is the main cause of high mortality and disability after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from sudden cardiac arrest (CA). The transient receptor potential M4 (TRPM4) channel is a novel target for ameliorating blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption and neuroinflammation. Herein, we tested whether flufenamic acid (FFA), which is reported to block TRPM4 with high potency, could confer neuroprotection against brain injury secondary to CA/CPR and whether its action was exerted by blocking the TRPM4 channel. METHODS: Wild-type (WT) and Trpm4 knockout (Trpm4(−/−)) mice subjected to 10-min CA/CPR were randomized to receive FFA or vehicle once daily. Post-CA/CPR brain injuries including neurologic deficits, survival rate, histological damage, edema formation, BBB destabilization and neuroinflammation were assessed. RESULTS: In WT mice subjected to CA/CPR, FFA was effective in improving survival and neurologic outcome, reducing neuropathological injuries, attenuating brain edema, lessening the leakage of IgG and Evans blue dye, restoring tight junction protein expression and promoting microglia/macrophages from the pro-inflammatory subtype toward the anti-inflammatory subtype. In comparison to WT mice, Trpm4(−/−) mice exhibited less neurologic deficiency, milder histological impairment, more BBB integrity and more anti-inflammatory microglia/macrophage polarization. As expected, FFA did not provide a benefit of superposition compared with vehicle in the Trpm4(−/−) mice after CA/CPR. CONCLUSIONS: FFA mitigates BBB breach and modifies the functional status of microglia/macrophages, thereby improving survival and neurologic deficits following CA/CPR. The neuroprotective effects occur at least partially by interfering with the TRPM4 channel in the neurovascular unit. These results indicate the significant clinical potential of FFA to improve the prognosis for CA victims who are successfully resuscitated. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-022-02571-2.