Chlorogenic acid supplementation alleviates dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis via inhibiting inflammatory responses and oxidative stress, improving gut barrier integrity and Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway
Fan Wan, Xueying Cai, Mengyu Wang, Liang Chen, Ruqing Zhong, Lei Liu, Bao Yi, Fujiang Hou, Hongfu Zhang
Abstract
Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is an important source of phenolic acids with multiple health functions such as antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and free radical scavenging effects. This study aimed to investigate whether the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2)/HO-1 pathway played a role in CGA ameliorating DSS-induced colitis in mice. 500 mg/kg CGA (high chlorogenic acid, HCGA) and 250 mg/kg CGA (low chlorogenic acid, LCGA) supplementation could alleviate the symptoms of colitis and the related mechanisms. qPCR results indicated that HCGA treatment dramatically upregulated mRNA expression levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine, antioxidative enzymes, occluding, and Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway downstream targets. Western blot results proved that HCGA supplementation significantly upregulated HO-1 level. Besides, Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that the colon mRNA expression levels of antioxidative enzymes had a positive correlation with Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway downstream targets. Collectively, CGA supplementation could effectively ameliorate DSS-induced colitis by activating the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway to suppress oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, and promoting gut barrier.