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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Gut-Brain Axis
Volume 19 - 2025 |
doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1509581
Benign regulation of short-chain fatty acids: The underlying mechanism of the beneficial effects of manual acupuncture on cognitive ability and the intestinal mucosal barrier in APP/PS1 mice
Provisionally accepted- 1 Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- 2 School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- 3 Dalian Women and Children’s Medical Center(Group), Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
Background: Gut microbiota dysbiosis is closely related to the occurrence and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The destruction of the intestinal mucosal barrier caused by a decrease in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) plays a key role in gut microbiota dysbiosis-induced neuroinflammation in AD. Our previous research confirmed for the first time that manual acupuncture (MA) can benignly modulate gut microbiota dysbiosis, alleviating the destruction of the intestinal mucosal barrier.However, the regulatory effect of MA on SCFAs remains elusive, and the underlying mechanism by which MA improves intestinal mucosal barrier function requires elucidation.Methods: In the APP/PS1 manual acupuncture (Am) group, MA was applied at Baihui (GV20), Yintang (GV29), and Zusanli (ST36). Probiotics were delivered to the APP/PS1 probiotic (Ap) group. Alterations in spatial learning and memory, intestinal barrier function, SCFAs in feces and serum, the expression of FFAR3 and NF-κB, and inflammatory cytokines were evaluated in each group.Results: Compared with those in the C57BL/6 control (Cc) group, cognitive ability was significantly decreased, SCFAs and FFAR3 expression were obviously decreased, intestinal barrier integrity was drastically impaired, and the expression of NF-κB and the levels of intestinal IL-1β and TNF-α were increased in the APP/PS1 control (Ac) group. These changes were reversed by MA and probiotics.: MA can significantly reduce intestinal inflammation through benign modulation of SCFAs/FFAR3/NF-κB and alleviate destruction of the intestinal mucosal barrier in APP/PS1 mice. SCFAs are considered key effector molecules in MA regulation of gut microbiota disorders and may play an important role in the regulation of cognitive function by MA.MA can significantly reduce intestinal inflammation and alleviate destruction of the intestinal mucosal barrier in APP/PS1 mice. SCFAs/FFAR3/NF-κB may be important targets through which MA benignly regulates intestinal mucosal barrier function.
Keywords: Manual acupuncture, Alzheimer's disease, Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), FFAR3, Intestinal Mucosal Barrier, NF-κB
Received: 11 Oct 2024; Accepted: 15 Jan 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ding, Hao, Zhang, Zhang and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Ning Ding, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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