Therapeutic strategy at the crossroad of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in age-related neurodegenerative diseases

Marine fungal metabolite butyrolactone I prevents cognitive deficits by relieving inflammation and intestinal microbiota imbalance on aluminum trichloride-injured zebrafish

Background

Mounting evidences indicate that oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and dysregulation of gut microbiota are related to neurodegenerative disorders (NDs). Butyrolactone I (BTL-I), a marine fungal metabolite, was previously reported as an in vitro neuroprotectant and inflammation inhibitor. However, little is known regarding its in vivo effects, whereas zebrafish (Danio rerio) could be used as a convenient in vivo model of toxicology and central nervous system (CNS) diseases.

Methods

Here, we employed in vivo and in silico methods to investigate the anti-NDs potential of BTL-I. Specifically, we established a cognitive deficit model in zebrafish by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of aluminum trichloride (AlCl₃) (21 μg) and assessed their behaviors in the T-maze test. The proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) as well as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity or glutathione (GSH) levels were assayed 24 h after AlCl₃ injection. The intestinal flora variation of the zebrafish was investigated by 16S rDNA high-throughput analysis. The marine fungal metabolite, butyrolactone I (BTL-I), was used to modulate zebrafish cognitive deficits evoked by AlCl₃ and evaluated about its effects on the above inflammatory, cholinergic, oxidative stress, and gut floral indicators. Furthermore, the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) and drug-likeness properties of BTL-I were studied by the in silico tool ADMETlab.

Results

BTL-I dose-dependently ameliorated AlCl₃-induced cognitive deficits in zebrafish. While AlCl₃ treatment elevated the levels of central and peripheral proinflammatory cytokines, increased AChE activity, and lowered GSH in the brains of zebrafish, these effects, except GSH reduction, were reversed by 25–100 mg/kg BTL-I administration. Besides, 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing of the intestinal flora of zebrafish showed that AlCl₃ decreased Gram-positive bacteria and increased proinflammatory Gram-negative bacteria, while BTL-I contributed to maintaining the predominance of beneficial Gram-positive bacteria. Moreover, the in silico analysis indicated that BTL-I exhibits acceptable drug-likeness and ADMET profiles.

Conclusions

The present findings suggest that BTL-I is a potential therapeutic agent for preventing CNS deficits caused by inflammation, neurotoxicity, and gut flora imbalance.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-022-02403-3.