Transcriptome analysis of gene expression provides new insights into the effect of mild therapeutic hypothermia on primary human cortical astrocytes cultured under hypoxia

<br>Hypothermia is increasingly used as a therapeutic measure against brain injury. However, the cellular mechanisms underpinning its actions are complex and not fully elucidated. Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type of the brain and as such are likely to play a critical role in the hypothermia effects. In this study, the transcriptional changes and protein expression profile were investigated in human primary cortical astrocytes cultured under hypoxic conditions for 6h, with and without a mild hypothermic intervention 2h post-insult hypoxia/hypothermia to mimic the <i>in vivo</i> treatment situation following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or stroke.<br>Hypothermia is a complex intervention, this study provides the first detailed longitudinal comparison at the transcript and protein expression levels investigating the molecular effects of therapeutic hypothermic intervention following hypoxia on human primary cortical astrocytes.