The effects of polysaccharides from Schizophyllum commune (Fr.) on amyloid-β and GFAP-induced neuronal injury in hippocampal regions of hyperlipidemia-affected rats.

AIMS: The hippocampal region is an essential area for memory. Alzheimer's disease (AD) continues to impact this brain region. It is caused by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) along with neurofibrillary tangles, together with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression, which causes loss of synapses, resulting in memory problems. Consuming a high-fat diet (HFD) causes the abnormal production of certain neurotransmitters through the gut-brain axis system, resulting in hippocampal neuron damage. Therefore, this study examined the effects of polysaccharides from Schizophyllum commune (Fr.) or split-gill mushroom (SG) in rats induced with an HFD.

METHODS

The Y-maze test assessed spontaneous alternation percentages and short-term memory in all rat groups, while H&E and Cresyl violet staining revealed alterations in the characteristics of neurons across treatment groups. Immunofluorescence was employed to identify the expressions of neurodegenerative and inflammatory proteins.

RESULTS

The short-term memory was evaluated using the Y-maze test, which found that the spontaneous alternation percentage was lower in the HFD group and higher in the HFD+SG group compared with the control group. Alterations in neuron characteristics were revealed by Cresyl violet and H&E staining. The HFD group was found to have necrotic neurons; however, the HFD+SG group had less damage than the HFD group. Immunofluorescence observations indicated the expression of Aβ and GFAP proteins; the HFD group showed an increase in Aβ and GFAP accumulation, whereas in the HFD+SG group, these were significantly reduced.

CONCLUSIONS

The study demonstrated improvements in hippocampal neurons, suggesting that polysaccharides from SG may be able to lessen the harm caused to the brain by consuming an HFD.