Blockade of interleukin-17A contributes to a novel mechanism by which casticin relieves chronic migraine.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Glycolysis-related microglial polarization contributes to the migraine (CM), which are closely associated with the PKM2-STAT3/NF-κB axis. Viticis Fructus has been historically prescribed in Traditional Chinese Medicine for alleviating CM, casticin as the active compound of Viticis Fructus has the therapeutic potential for CM.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the mechanism of casticin in treating CM, highlighting the role of PKM2-STAT3/NF-κB axis in mediating microglial polarization and glycolysis.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The recurrent nitroglycerin (NTG) injections were used to establish CM rat models, then nociceptive thresholds, migraine-like symptoms, blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, the IL-17 levels and other inflammatory mediators, glycolysis, and the PKM2-STAT3/NF-κB axis were assessments. Next, IL-17A-treated BV-2 cells were used to demonstrate the effects of casticin on microglial polarization, glycolysis, and the PKM2-STAT3/NF-κB axis. Last, the SR1001 and brodalumab were used in NTG-injected rats and IL-17A-stimulated BV2 cells for reverse verification.

RESULTS

Casticin reduced IL-17 entry into the TNC, suppressed inflammatory mediator release, decreased CGRP levels, inhibited microglial inflammatory polarization, reduced the level of glycolysis. Moreover, casticin markedly inhibited the PKM2-STAT3/NF-κB axis in the TNC, which jointly validated by WB and immunofluorescence colocalization. Additionally, SR1001 and brodalumab reversed the effects of Casticin in vivo and in vitro, which was mainly accomplished via PKM2-dependent microglial polarization.

CONCLUSIONS

Casticin alleviated pain sensitization and CM-like symptoms in CM rats by targeting IL-17-mediated microglial polarization and glycolysis via inhibition of the PKM2-STAT3/NF-κB axis, which explains the mechanism by which casticin relieves CM.