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Metabolic responses of BV-2 cells to puerarin on its polarization using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass
Ling Li1, Yan Wang2, Hui Wang1
1School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
Microglia are the primary immune cells in the central nervous system with functional plasticity. They can be activated into M1 and M2 phenotypes when neuroinflammation-related diseases occur. M1 phenotype cells produce pro-inflammatory mediators that cause neuroinflammation and the M2 phenotype can secrete anti-inflammatory cytokines that protect neurons from damage. Therefore, inhibiting the M1 phenotype while stimulating the M2 phenotype has been suggested as a potential therapeutic approach for treating neuroinflammation-related diseases. Puerarin has been demonstrated to exert anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. However, the role of puerarin in regulating microglia polarization and its reaction mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this paper, a metabolomics approach with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was performed to investigate the metabolic changes of BV-2 cells in different phenotypes and test the effects of puerarin on polarization. Thirty-nine metabolites were identified as the biomarkers related to the polarization of BV-2 cells and puerarin intervention reverted the content of most of the biomarkers. Our study demonstrated that puerarin could play a key role in M1/M2 polarization of BV-2 cells from a perspective of metabolomics, and it could regulate the balance between promotion and suppression of inflammation.
Insights
Puerarin influences microglia polarization, shifting them from a pro-inflammatory (M1) to an anti-inflammatory (M2) state. This study used metabolomics to reveal puerarin
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience and Immunology
- Metabolomics and Pharmacology
Background:
- Microglia, the central nervous system's immune cells, exhibit plasticity and can adopt M1 (pro-inflammatory) or M2 (anti-inflammatory) phenotypes during neuroinflammation.
- Modulating microglia polarization, by inhibiting M1 and promoting M2, is a therapeutic strategy for neuroinflammatory diseases.
- Puerarin shows anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, but its precise role in microglia polarization remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the metabolic changes associated with BV-2 microglia polarization into M1 and M2 phenotypes.
- To elucidate the effect of puerarin on microglia polarization using a metabolomics approach.
- To understand the mechanism by which puerarin regulates the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a metabolomics approach combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS).
- Analyzed metabolic profiles of BV-2 cells differentiated into M1 and M2 phenotypes.
- Assessed the impact of puerarin intervention on these metabolic profiles and cell polarization.
Main Results:
- Identified 39 metabolites as key biomarkers for BV-2 cell polarization.
- Puerarin intervention significantly altered the levels of most identified biomarkers.
- Puerarin demonstrated a capacity to revert the metabolic profile towards a more balanced state, influencing M1/M2 polarization.
Conclusions:
- Puerarin plays a crucial role in regulating M1/M2 microglia polarization, as evidenced by metabolomic analysis.
- The study provides a metabolomic perspective on how puerarin modulates the inflammatory balance in microglia.
- Puerarin holds potential for therapeutic applications in neuroinflammatory conditions by rebalancing microglia phenotypes.
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