A Low-Protein, High-Carbohydrate Diet Exerts a Neuroprotective Effect on Mice with 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-Induced Parkinson's Disease by Regulating the Microbiota-Metabolite-Brain Axis and Fibroblast Growth Factor 21.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether a low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet could mitigate motor deficits and dopaminergic neuronal damage in MPTP-induced Parkinson’s disease (PD) mice, while exploring potential mechanisms involving gut microbiota and metabolic pathways.
Results Summary
The LPHC diet improved motor deficits, reduced dopaminergic neuronal death, and increased striatal dopamine and serotonin levels in PD mice. It also modulated gut microbiota composition, elevated FGF-21 levels, and increased aromatic amino acids and bile acids, suggesting a protective role via the gut-microbiota-brain axis.
Population
MPTP-induced Parkinson’s disease mice (animal model).
Effective Dosage
Not specified.
Duration
Not specified.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | decrease | 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrathydropyridine (MPTP)-induced motor deficits | PD mice | - | ameliorated | #1 |
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | decrease | dopaminergic neuronal death | PD mice | - | decreased | #2 |
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | increase | levels of striatal dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites | PD mice | - | increased | #3 |
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | increase | Levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) | PD mice | - | elevated | #4 |
FGF-21 | decrease | MPTP-induced PC12 cells | MPTP-induced PC12 cells | - | exerted a protective effect | #5 |
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | no change | gut bacterial composition imbalance | PD mice | - | normalized | #6 |
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | increase | genera Bifidobacterium, Ileibacterium, Turicibacter, and Blautia | PD mice | - | increased abundance | #7 |
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | decrease | Bilophila, Alistipes, and Bacteroides | PD mice | - | decreased abundance | #8 |
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | decrease | lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and the citrate cycle (TCA cycle), biosynthesis of ubiquinone and other terpenoid-quinones, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways | PD mice | - | suppressed | #9 |
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | increase | biosynthesis of amino acids, carbohydrate metabolism, and biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites | PD mice | - | enhanced | #10 |
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | increase | levels of aromatic amino acids (AAAs), including tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine | - | - | significantly increased | #11 |
low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet | increase | serum concentrations of bile acids (BAs), particularly tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and taurine | - | - | elevated | #12 |
Parkinson's disease (PD) is closely linked to lifestyle factors, particularly dietary patterns, which have attracted interest as potential disease-modifying factors. Eating a low-protein, high-carbohydrate (LPHC) diet is a promising dietary intervention against brain aging; however, its protective effect on PD remains elusive. Here, we found that an LPHC diet ameliorated 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrathydropyridine (MPTP)-induced motor deficits, decreased dopaminergic neuronal death, and increased the levels of striatal dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites in PD mice. Levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21), a member of the fibroblast growth factor family, were elevated in PD mice following LPHC treatment. Furthermore, the administration of FGF-21 exerted a protective effect on MPTP-induced PC12 cells, similar to the effect of an LPHC diet in MPTP-induced mice. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA from fecal microbiota revealed that an LPHC diet normalized the gut bacterial composition imbalance in PD mice, as evidenced by the increased abundance of the genera Bifidobacterium, Ileibacterium, Turicibacter, and Blautia and decreased abundance of Bilophila, Alistipes, and Bacteroides. PICRUSt-predicted fecal microbiome function revealed that an LPHC diet suppressed lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and the citrate cycle (TCA cycle), biosynthesis of ubiquinone and other terpenoid-quinones, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways caused by MPTP, and enhanced the biosynthesis of amino acids, carbohydrate metabolism, and biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites. A nonmetabolomic analysis of the serum and feces showed that an LPHC diet significantly increased the levels of aromatic amino acids (AAAs), including tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine. In addition, an LPHC diet elevated the serum concentrations of bile acids (BAs), particularly tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and taurine. Collectively, our current findings point to the potential mechanism of administering an LPHC diet in attenuating movement impairments in MPTP-induced PD mice, with AAAs, microbial metabolites (TUDCA and taurine), and FGF-21 as key mediators along the gut-microbiota-brain axis.