Formononetin Ameliorates Cognitive Disorder via PGC-1α Pathway in Neuroinflammation Conditions in High-Fat Diet-Induced Mice

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 566-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinxin Fu ◽  
Tingting Qin ◽  
Jiayu Yu ◽  
Jie Jiao ◽  
Zhanqiang Ma ◽  
...  

Background: Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases in many modern societies. The core pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease includes the aggregation of hyperphosphorylated Tau and abnormal Amyloid-β generation. In addition, previous studies have shown that neuroinflammation is one of the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Formononetin, an isoflavone compound extracted from Trifolium pratense L., has been found to have various properties including anti-obesity, anti-inflammation, and neuroprotective effects. But there are very few studies on the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease with Formononetin. Objective: The present study focused on the protective activities of Formononetin on a high-fat dietinduced cognitive decline and explored the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Mice were fed with HFD for 10 weeks and intragastric administrated daily with metformin (300 mg/kg) and Formononetin (20 and 40 mg/kg). Results: We found that Formononetin (20, 40 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the learning and memory deficits companied by weight improvement and decreased the levels of blood glucose, total cholesterol and triglyceride in high-fat diet-induced mice. Meanwhile, we observed high-fat diet significantly caused the Tau hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampus of mice, whereas Formononetin reversed this effect. Additionally, Formononetin markedly reduced the levels of inflammation cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α in high-fat diet-induced mice. The mechanism study showed that Formononetin suppressed the pro-inflammatory NF-κB signaling and enhanced the anti-inflammatory Nrf-2/HO-1 signaling, which might be related to the regulation of PGC-1α in the hippocampus of high-fat diet -induced mice. Conclusion: Taken together, our results showed that Formononetin could improve the cognitive function by inhibiting neuroinflammation, which is attributed to the regulation of PGC-1α pathway in HFD-induced mice.

Author(s):  
Alejandra Freire Fernández-Regatillo ◽  
María L. de Ceballos ◽  
Jesús Argente ◽  
Sonia Díaz Pacheco ◽  
Clara González Martínez

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 3746
Author(s):  
Ilaria Zuliani ◽  
Chiara Lanzillotta ◽  
Antonella Tramutola ◽  
Eugenio Barone ◽  
Marzia Perluigi ◽  
...  

The disturbance of protein O-GlcNAcylation is emerging as a possible link between altered brain metabolism and the progression of neurodegeneration. As observed in brains with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), flaws of the cerebral glucose uptake translate into reduced protein O-GlcNAcylation, which promote the formation of pathological hallmarks. A high-fat diet (HFD) is known to foster metabolic dysregulation and insulin resistance in the brain and such effects have been associated with the reduction of cognitive performances. Remarkably, a significant role in HFD-related cognitive decline might be played by aberrant protein O-GlcNAcylation by triggering the development of AD signature and mitochondrial impairment. Our data support the impairment of total protein O-GlcNAcylation profile both in the brain of mice subjected to a 6-week high-fat-diet (HFD) and in our in vitro transposition on SH-SY5Y cells. The reduction of protein O-GlcNAcylation was associated with the development of insulin resistance, induced by overfeeding (i.e., defective insulin signaling and reduced mitochondrial activity), which promoted the dysregulation of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) flux, through the AMPK-driven reduction of GFAT1 activation. Further, we observed that a HFD induced the selective impairment of O-GlcNAcylated-tau and of O-GlcNAcylated-Complex I subunit NDUFB8, thus resulting in tau toxicity and reduced respiratory chain functionality respectively, highlighting the involvement of this posttranslational modification in the neurodegenerative process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazanin Mirzaei ◽  
Nicola Davis ◽  
Tsz Wing Chau ◽  
Magdalena Sastre

: Astrocytes are fast climbing the ladder of importance in neurodegenerative disorders, particularly in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with the prominent presence of reactive astrocytes sur- rounding amyloid β- plaques, together with activated microglia. Reactive astrogliosis, implying morphological and molecular transformations in astrocytes, seems to precede neurodegeneration, suggesting a role in the development of the disease. Single-cell transcriptomics has recently demon- strated that astrocytes from AD brains are different from “normal” healthy astrocytes, showing dys- regulations in areas such as neurotransmitter recycling, including glutamate and GABA, and im- paired homeostatic functions. However, recent data suggest that the ablation of astrocytes in mouse models of amyloidosis results in an increase in amyloid pathology as well as in the inflammatory profile and reduced synaptic density, indicating that astrocytes mediate neuroprotective effects. The idea that interventions targeting astrocytes may have great potential for AD has therefore emerged, supported by a range of drugs and stem cell transplantation studies that have successfully shown a therapeutic effect in mouse models of AD. In this article, we review the latest reports on the role and profile of astrocytes in AD brains and how manipulation of astrocytes in animal mod- els has paved the way for the use of treatments enhancing astrocytic function as future therapeutic avenues for AD.


2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 1175-1191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Jara-Moreno ◽  
Rubn D. Castro-Torres ◽  
Miren Ettcheto ◽  
Carme Auladell ◽  
Marcelo J. Kogan ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 101606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen P.E. Rollins ◽  
Daniel Gallino ◽  
Vincent Kong ◽  
Gülebru Ayranci ◽  
Gabriel A. Devenyi ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunyue Wang ◽  
Xueying Cai ◽  
Ruochen Wang ◽  
Siyu Zhai ◽  
Yongfeng Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Verbascoside (VB), an active phenylethanoid glycoside that was first isolated from Verbascum sinuatum (the wavyleaf mullein), possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anti-apoptotic effects. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the beneficial effects of VB in amyloid β (Aβ)1–42-damaged human glioma (U251) cells and in APPswe/PSEN1dE9 transgenic (APP/PS1) mice. Methods U251 cells were co-incubated with 10 μM of Aβ1-42 and treated with VB. The protective effects of VB were investigated by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay, flow cytometry, fluorescence staining, and transmission electron microscopy. APP/PS1 transgenic mice were treated for 6 weeks with VB. Learning and memory were evaluated using a Morris water maze test. Immunohistochemistry, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling, thioflavin-S staining, and proteomics analysis were performed to study the potential neuroprotective mechanism. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and western blot were performed to analyze altered protein levels of brain lysates in APP/PS1 mice and/or Aβ1-42-damaged U251 cells. Results In Aβ1-42-damaged U251 cells, VB significantly improved cell viability, inhibited apoptosis, reduced calcium accumulation and the intracellular concentrations of reactive oxygen species, and improved the morphology of mitochondria and ER. In APP/PS1 mice, 6-week administration of VB significantly improved memory and cognition. VB inhibited apoptosis, reduced the deposition of Aβ, reduced the formation of neurofibrillary tangles formed by hyperphosphorylated tau protein, and downregulated the expression levels of 4-hydroxynonenal and mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor in the brains of APP/PS1 mice. Proteomics analysis of mouse hippocampus suggested that the neuroprotective effect of VB may be related to the reduction of ER stress. This was indicated by the fact that VB inhibited the three branches of the unfolded protein response, thereby attenuating ER stress and preventing apoptosis. Conclusions The results confirmed that VB possesses significant neuroprotective effects, which are related to the reduction of ER stress. These findings support the status of VB as a potentially effective treatment for AD and warrant further research.


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