Effect and Mechanism of Chlorogenic Acid on Cognitive Dysfunction in Mice by Lipopolysaccharide-induced Neuroinflammation

Background: Neuroinflammation is an important factor causing numerous neurodegenerative pathologies. Inflammation can lead to abnormal neuronal structure and function and even death, followed by cognitive dysfunction. There is growing evidence that chlorogenic acid has anti-inflammatory effects and immunomodulatory activity.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to elucidate the potential targets and molecular mechanisms of chlorogenic acid in the treatment of neuroinflammation.

Methods: We used the lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammation mouse model and the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV-2 cells model. Behavioral scores and experiments were used to assess cognitive dysfunction in mice. HE staining and immunohistochemistry were used to assess neuronal damage in the mouse brain. Immunofluorescence detected microglia polarization in mouse brain. Western blot and flow cytometry detected the polarization of BV-2 cells. The migration of BV-2 cells was detected by wound healing assay and transwell assay. Potential targets for chlorogenic acid to exert protective effects were predicted by network pharmacology. These targets were then validated using molecular docking and experiments.

Results: The results of experiments showed that chlorogenic acid had an obvious ameliorating effect on neuroinflammation-induced cognitive dysfunction. We found that chlorogenic acid was able to inhibit BV-2 cells M1 polarization and promote BV-2 cells M2 polarization while also inhibiting the abnormal migration of BV-2 cells. Based on the network pharmacology results, we identified the TNF signaling pathway as a key signaling pathway in which chlorogenic acid exerts anti-neuroinflammatory effects. Among them, Akt1, TNF, MMP9, PTGS2, MAPK1, MAPK14, and RELA are the core targets for chlorogenic acid to function.

Conclusion: Chlorogenic acid can inhibit microglial polarization toward the M1 phenotype and improve neuroinflammation-induced cognitive dysfunction in mice by modulating these key targets in the TNF signaling pathway.