Cited by 30Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and TreatmentsNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsNuclear Receptors and Signaling

Short-Chain Fatty Acid Aggregates Alpha-Synuclein Accumulation and Neuroinflammation via GPR43-NLRP3 Signaling Pathway in a Model Parkinson’s Disease

Qu, Yi, An, Ke, Wang, Danlei, Yu, Haoheng, Li, Jingyi, Min, Zhe, Xiong, Yongjie, Xue, Zheng +1 more·2025·Molecular Neurobiology

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) and the loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons, with growing evidence suggesting a significant role of gut microbiota and their metabolites in the disease's pathogenesis. This study explores the effects of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) on PD progression, focusing on the G protein-coupled receptor 43 (GPR43) and the NLRP3 signaling pathway in both in vitro and in vivo models. Employing the1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced mouse model and SH-SY5Y cells with SCFAs-treated, this study investigated the impact of SCFAs on α-syn deposition, DA loss, and neuroinflammation. In vitro, supernatant from STC-1 cells was administered to SH-SY5Y cells, and the effects were assessed following the knockdown of NLRP3 or GPR43. In vivo, mice were treated with NLRP3 or GPR43 inhibitors after feeding with SCFAs, and the motor deficits, α-syn pathology, DA neuronal loss, and inflammatory responses were observed. SCFAs were found to exacerbate motor and gastrointestinal dysfunctions in PD models, intensifying α-syn pathology and neuroinflammation. The activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome through GPR43 emerged as a key pathological mechanism, with inhibition of these molecules mitigating the observed effects. Such interventions reduced α-syn accumulation, DA loss, and inflammatory responses, highlighting the pivotal role of the SCFA/GPR43-NLRP3 pathway in PD. The findings from this study elucidate a critical link between gut-derived metabolic changes and neuroinflammatory processes in PD via the SCFA/GPR43-NLRP3 pathway. Targeting this pathway offers a promising therapeutic strategy and enriches our understanding of the gut-brain axis' role in PD progression.

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Crossref · 10.1007/s12035-025-04726-7

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  • In vitro data indicate that SCFAs might contribute to α-synuclein pathogenesis.

    “At the molecular level, in vitro data indicate that SCFAs might contribute to α-synuclein pathogenesis.”
  • SCFAs are shown to modulate activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome via GPR43 activation and modulation of autophagy pathways via autophagy genes including Atg5 and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

    “SCFAs are shown to modulate activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome via GPR43 activation and modulation of autophagy pathways via autophagy genes including Atg5 and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. [123, 124].”

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Authors
Qu, Y., An, K., Wang, D., Yu, H., Li, J., Min, Z., Xiong, Y., Xue, Z., & Mao, Z.
Affiliations
Tongji Hospital (CN)
Corresponding author
Mao, Zhijuan
Venue
Molecular Neurobiology
Published
2025-02-04
Volume
62
Issue
5
Pages
6612-6625
ISSN
  • 0893-7648 (ISSN-L)
  • 1559-1182
OpenAlex
W4407126718
Cited by
30
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 15
FWCI
18.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Molecular Neurobiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Natural Science Foundation of China (81901303)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nuclear Receptors and Signaling
Keywords
Parkinson's disease, short-chain fatty acids, alpha-synuclein aggregation, GPR43, NLRP3 inflammasome, neuroinflammation, dopaminergic neuron loss, gut microbiota metabolites, gut-brain axis, MPTP mouse model, SH-SY5Y cells, STC-1 cells, motor impairment, gastrointestinal dysfunction
MeSH terms
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein, Neuroinflammatory Diseases, Animals, Disease Models, Animal, Fatty Acids, Volatile, Humans, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Parkinson Disease, Signal Transduction, Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled, Cell Line, Tumor, Mice, alpha-Synuclein, Dopaminergic Neurons, Protein Aggregates

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