Neuroprotective mechanisms of defatted walnut powder against scopolamine-induced Alzheimer's disease in mice revealed through metabolomics and proteomics analyses.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Defatted walnut powder (DWP), the byproduct remaining after extracting oil from the walnut kernel, has the actions of nourishing liver and the kidney, replenishing blood, and calming the nerves, which is believed to be a brain-nourishing in Chinese medicine. DWP is rich in phenolic substances with demonstrated anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, lipid-lowering and neuroprotective effects. Despite these promising properties of DWP, its effectiveness in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unclear, and further research is needed to understand the mechanism of action.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanism of DWP on AD by constructing the overall metabolic profile of mice with an anti-scopolamine AD model and verification of the highly correlated pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The neuroprotective efficacy of DWP in a mouse model of AD established by scopolamine injection was examined. Spatial memory performance in the Morris water maze (MWM), markers of cholinergic function in hippocampus and cortex, and neuropathological changes were compared among control, model, and DWP-consuming model group mice. In addition, combined metabolomic and proteomic analyses were conducted to investigate changes in metabolite and protein expression profiles in AD model mice induced by DWP consumption. Differentially expressed proteins and metabolites were then analyzed for KEGG pathway enrichment and results confirmed through targeted amino acid metabolomics.

RESULTS

The results showed that consumption of DWP improved spatial learning and memory in the MWM, enhanced cholinergic function, and reduced histopathological damage in the cortex and hippocampus of AD model mice. Based on differentially abundant metabolites and proteins, 43 metabolic pathways modulated by DWP were identified, mainly involving in amino acid metabolic pathways strongly associated with cellular energetics and antioxidant capacity, and targeted amino acid metabolomics confirmed that DWPE significantly elevated the levels of Arginine (Arg), Histidine (His), Proline (Pro), Serine (Ser), and Tyrosine (Tyr), while reducing the levels of Glutamate (Glu). This ultimately resulted in an improvement in the progression of AD.

CONCLUSION

This study identified numerous metabolic networks modulated by DWP that can mitigate scopolamine-induced AD neuropathology and cognitive dysfunction. DWP is a promising resource to identify AD-related pathogenic pathways and therapeutic strategies.