Chitosan alleviates symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by reducing acetate levels, which decreases inflammation and promotes repair of the intestinal barrier and blood–brain barrier
Studies have shown that chitosan protects against neurodegenerative diseases. However, the precise mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we administered chitosan intragastrically to an MPTP-induced mouse model of Parkinson’s disease and found that it effectively reduced dopamine neuron...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2026-01-01
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| Series: | Neural Regeneration Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-23-01511 |
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| author | Yinying Wang Rongsha Chen Guolin Shi Xinwei Huang Ke Li Ruohua Wang Xia Cao Zhongshan Yang Ninghui Zhao Jinyuan Yan |
| author_facet | Yinying Wang Rongsha Chen Guolin Shi Xinwei Huang Ke Li Ruohua Wang Xia Cao Zhongshan Yang Ninghui Zhao Jinyuan Yan |
| author_sort | Yinying Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies have shown that chitosan protects against neurodegenerative diseases. However, the precise mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we administered chitosan intragastrically to an MPTP-induced mouse model of Parkinson’s disease and found that it effectively reduced dopamine neuron injury, neurotransmitter dopamine release, and motor symptoms. These neuroprotective effects of chitosan were related to bacterial metabolites, specifically short-chain fatty acids, and chitosan administration altered intestinal microbial diversity and decreased short-chain fatty acid production in the gut. Furthermore, chitosan effectively reduced damage to the intestinal barrier and the blood–brain barrier. Finally, we demonstrated that chitosan improved intestinal barrier function and alleviated inflammation in both the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system by reducing acetate levels. Based on these findings, we suggest a molecular mechanism by which chitosan decreases inflammation through reducing acetate levels and repairing the intestinal and blood–brain barriers, thereby alleviating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-be35497a58174dea8dee1c74e9b0590c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1673-5374 1876-7958 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2026-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Neural Regeneration Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-be35497a58174dea8dee1c74e9b0590c2025-08-20T03:07:54ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsNeural Regeneration Research1673-53741876-79582026-01-0121137739110.4103/NRR.NRR-D-23-01511Chitosan alleviates symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by reducing acetate levels, which decreases inflammation and promotes repair of the intestinal barrier and blood–brain barrierYinying WangRongsha ChenGuolin ShiXinwei HuangKe LiRuohua WangXia CaoZhongshan YangNinghui ZhaoJinyuan YanStudies have shown that chitosan protects against neurodegenerative diseases. However, the precise mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we administered chitosan intragastrically to an MPTP-induced mouse model of Parkinson’s disease and found that it effectively reduced dopamine neuron injury, neurotransmitter dopamine release, and motor symptoms. These neuroprotective effects of chitosan were related to bacterial metabolites, specifically short-chain fatty acids, and chitosan administration altered intestinal microbial diversity and decreased short-chain fatty acid production in the gut. Furthermore, chitosan effectively reduced damage to the intestinal barrier and the blood–brain barrier. Finally, we demonstrated that chitosan improved intestinal barrier function and alleviated inflammation in both the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system by reducing acetate levels. Based on these findings, we suggest a molecular mechanism by which chitosan decreases inflammation through reducing acetate levels and repairing the intestinal and blood–brain barriers, thereby alleviating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-23-01511acetateadenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinaseblood–brain barrierchitosandopamine neuronsinflammationintestinal barrierparkinson’s diseaseperoxisome proliferator-activated receptor deltashort-chain fatty acids |
| spellingShingle | Yinying Wang Rongsha Chen Guolin Shi Xinwei Huang Ke Li Ruohua Wang Xia Cao Zhongshan Yang Ninghui Zhao Jinyuan Yan Chitosan alleviates symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by reducing acetate levels, which decreases inflammation and promotes repair of the intestinal barrier and blood–brain barrier Neural Regeneration Research acetate adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase blood–brain barrier chitosan dopamine neurons inflammation intestinal barrier parkinson’s disease peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta short-chain fatty acids |
| title | Chitosan alleviates symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by reducing acetate levels, which decreases inflammation and promotes repair of the intestinal barrier and blood–brain barrier |
| title_full | Chitosan alleviates symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by reducing acetate levels, which decreases inflammation and promotes repair of the intestinal barrier and blood–brain barrier |
| title_fullStr | Chitosan alleviates symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by reducing acetate levels, which decreases inflammation and promotes repair of the intestinal barrier and blood–brain barrier |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chitosan alleviates symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by reducing acetate levels, which decreases inflammation and promotes repair of the intestinal barrier and blood–brain barrier |
| title_short | Chitosan alleviates symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by reducing acetate levels, which decreases inflammation and promotes repair of the intestinal barrier and blood–brain barrier |
| title_sort | chitosan alleviates symptoms of parkinson s disease by reducing acetate levels which decreases inflammation and promotes repair of the intestinal barrier and blood brain barrier |
| topic | acetate adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase blood–brain barrier chitosan dopamine neurons inflammation intestinal barrier parkinson’s disease peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta short-chain fatty acids |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/NRR.NRR-D-23-01511 |
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