The study was designed to explain delayed cell death following ischemia. The ischemic reperfusion model of cell death was tested in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. This model proposes that ischemia causes oxidative stress, or the formation of free radicals, highly reactive ions associated with cell damage. The study showed that proteolysis was suppressed during oxidative stress, but increased during recovery.
Stroke is the world's third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer.
It generally occurs in elderly people and is almost always induced by ischemia, a lack of blood flow in the brain. The stroke victim experiences a flaccid paralysis, followed by spasticity. This delayed effect may be the result of delayed cell death in the brain. Proteolysis is suppressed during periods of oxidative stress. During recovery from oxidative stress, proteolysis increases.