Suffolk Reporter

Research into the treatment of hemorrhagic stroke, specifically through the repurposing of cancer drugs, is receiving attention and funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Supported by a $2.6 million grant, the research led by Professor Ke Jian Liu at Stony Brook University aims to explore whether cancer drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could be effective in treating this type of stroke. This research will continue through November 2029.

Hemorrhagic strokes, as highlighted by the American Stroke Association, make up about 13 percent of stroke cases and are a leading cause of disability and the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Traditional therapeutic strategies for the brain damage caused by intracerebral hemorrhage have not been effective. Liu’s research focuses on a novel mechanism involving zinc processes, affected by protein kinase inhibitors - a class of drugs used in cancer treatment.

"Our discovery opens new avenues for drug therapeutic intervention to treat hemorrhagic stroke," noted Liu, who is associated with both the Department of Pathology and the Cancer Center at Stony Brook University. His team is investigating the generation of zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) during intracerebral hemorrhage, which his research suggests is more neurotoxic than previously known compounds involved in stroke brain injury.

Experiments conducted on animal models have shown that protein kinase inhibitors can reduce brain injury and improve neurological outcomes by targeting ZnPP. "We conduct experiments in models of hemorrhagic stroke to investigate the mechanisms underlying ZnPP generation and neurotoxicity," Liu stated.

The study explores kinase inhibitors’ off-target effects on the enzyme ferrochelatase, which is involved in ZnPP generation. "We connected the dots and began testing some FDA-approved kinase inhibitors, which validated our speculation," Liu added. Given the existing FDA approval of these inhibitors for cancer treatment, researchers are hopeful that successful results could expedite the transition to human trials, bypassing the need for additional drug toxicity studies.

FDA has approved 82 small-molecule protein kinase inhibitors for various cancers, offering numerous options for research into inhibiting ferrochelatase in stroke treatment.

If Liu’s approach proves effective and safe in ongoing experiments, it could potentially transform the understanding and treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage.