Resveratrol attenuates high-fat diet-induced disruption of the blood-brain barrier and protects brain neurons from apoptotic insults

J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Apr 16;62(15):3466-75. doi: 10.1021/jf403286w. Epub 2014 Apr 7.

Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) maintains brain microenvironment. Our previous study showed that oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) can damage the BBB by inducing apoptosis of cerebrovascular endothelial cells. This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of resveratrol on high-fat diet-induced insults to the BBB and brain neurons. Exposure of mice to a high-fat diet for 8 weeks increased levels of serum total cholesterol (146 ± 13) and LDL (68 ± 8), but resveratrol decreased such augmentations (119 ± 6; 45 ± 8). Permeability assays showed that a high-fat diet induced breakage of the BBB (88 ± 21). Meanwhile, resveratrol alleviated this interruption (16 ± 6). Neither resveratrol nor a high-fat diet caused the death of cerebrovascular endothelial cells. Instead, exposure to a high-fat diet disrupted the polymerization of occludin and zonula occludens (ZO)-1, but resveratrol significantly attenuated those injuries. Neither a high-fat diet nor resveratrol changed the levels of occludin or ZO-1 in brain tissues. Resveratrol protected brain neurons against high-fat diet-induced caspase-3 activation and genomic DNA fragmentation. This study shows that resveratrol can attenuate the high-fat diet-induced disruption of the BBB via interfering with occludin and ZO-1 tight junctions, and protects against apoptotic insults to brain neurons.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism
  • Brain / cytology
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Diet, High-Fat / adverse effects*
  • Dietary Fats / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / drug therapy
  • Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / metabolism
  • Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / physiopathology
  • Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / prevention & control*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Resveratrol
  • Stilbenes / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Dietary Fats
  • Stilbenes
  • Resveratrol