Chicoric acid encapsulated within ferritin inhibits tau phosphorylation by regulating AMPK and GluT1 signaling cascade

Hyperphophorylation of tau protein is typical pathological features of Alzheimer's disease. Chicoric acid (CA) has been reported to inhibit formation of beta amyloid peptide, it's hard to transport through blood brain barrier (BBB) and its role in inhibiting tau phosphorylation is unknown. In this study, we employed ferritin as a nanocage to encapsulate CA (Ft-CA), and stability, cell survival and BBB permeability of CA were improved by ferritin encapsulation, suggesting ferritin to be an effective vector for bioactive molecules. Meanwhile, both CA and Ft-CA were proved to inhibit tau phosphorylation in SH-SY5Y cells, and effects of Ft-CA are more obvious than CA. Roles of CA were proposed to regulate glucose metabolism by increasing GluT1 and promote glycosylation of tau protein. Meanwhile, CA was proved to inhibit phosphorylation of AMPK, which may further inhibit tau phosphorylation. These findings may provide a novel strategy to prevent neurodegenerative diseases by using dietary polyphenols.

Automated summary

This study utilized ferritin encapsulation of chicoric acid to enhance its stability and inhibitory effect on tau protein phosphorylation, suggesting ferritin as an effective vector for bioactive molecules. The results indicate a potential novel strategy for preventing neurodegenerative diseases using dietary polyphenols.