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  

作　　者：Yinying Wang Rongsha Chen Guolin Shi Xinwei Huang Ke Li Ruohua Wang Xia Cao Zhongshan Yang Ninghui Zhao Jinyuan Yan 

机构地区：[1]Central Laboratory,The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University,Kunming,Yunnan Province,China [2]Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Sino Medicine,Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine,Kunming,Yunnan Province,China [3]Department of Neurosurgery,The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University,Kunming,Yunnan Province,China

出　　处：《Neural Regeneration Research》2026年第1期377-391,共15页中国神经再生研究(英文版)

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos. 32260196 (to JY), 81860646 (to ZY) and 31860274 (to JY);a grant from Yunnan Department of Science and Technology,Nos. 202101AT070251 (to JY), 202201AS070084 (to ZY), 202301AY070001-239 (to JY), 202101AZ070001-012, and 2019FI016 (to ZY)。

摘　　要：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 shortchain 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.

关 键 词：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 

分 类 号：R74[医药卫生—神经病学与精神病学]