A bioactive gypenoside (GP-14) alleviates neuroinflammation and blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway in a mouse high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) model.

Background: Neuroinflammation caused by peripheral lipopolysaccharides (LPS) under hypoxia is a key contributor to the development of high altitude cerebral edema (HACE). Our previous studies have shown that gypenosides and their bioactive compounds prevent hypoxia-induced neural injuries in vitro and in vivo. However, their effect on neuroinflammation-related HACE remains to be illustrated. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of GP-14 in HACE mouse model.

Methods: HACE mice were treated with GP-14 (100 and 200 mg/kg) for 7 days. After the treatments, the level of serum inflammation cytokines and the transcription of inflammatory factors in brain tissue were determined. The activation of microglia, astrocyte and the changes of IgG leakage and the protein levels of tight junction proteins were detected. Furthermore, the inflammatory factors and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway in BV-2 cells and primary microglia were detected.

Results: GP-14 pretreatment alleviated both the serum and neural inflammatory responses caused by LPS stimulation combined with hypobaric hypoxia exposure. In addition, GP-14 pretreatment inhibited microglial activation, accompanied by a decrease in the M1 phenotype and an increase in the M2 phenotype. Moreover, the disruption of the blood brain barrier (BBB) integrity, including increased IgG leakage and decreased expression of tight junction proteins, was attenuated by GP-14 pretreatment. Based on the BV-2 and primary microglial models, the inflammatory response and activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway were also inhibited by GP-14 pretreatment.

Conclusion: Taken together, our results demonstrated that GP-14 exhibited prominent protective roles against neuroinflammation and BBB disruption in a mouse HACE model. GP-14 could be a potential choice for the treatment of HACE in the future.