Key role of the gut–microbiota–brain axis via the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve in demyelination of the cuprizone-treated mouse brain

• Published in: Neurobiology of disease 2023-01, Vol.176, p.105951, Article 105951
• Main Authors: Wang, Xingming, Eguchi, Akifumi, Yang, Yong, Chang, Lijia, Wan, Xiayun, Shan, Jiajing, Qu, Youge, Ma, Li, Mori, Chisato, Yang, Jianjun, Hashimoto, Kenji
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Brain - metabolism; Cuprizone - toxicity; Demyelinating Diseases - chemically induced; Demyelinating Diseases - metabolism; Demyelination; Disease Models, Animal; Gut–microbiota; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Microbiota; Microglia; Microglia - metabolism; Multiple Sclerosis - metabolism; Subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve; Vagus Nerve - metabolism
• ISSN: 0969-9961; 1095-953X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105951

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common demyelinating disease that attacks the central nervous system. Dietary intake of cuprizone (CPZ) produces demyelination resembling that of patients with MS. Given the role of the vagus nerve in gut–microbiota–brain axis in development of MS, we performed this study to investigate whether subdiaphragmatic vagotomy (SDV) affects demyelination in CPZ-treated mice. SDV significantly ameliorated demyelination and microglial activation in the brain compared with sham-operated CPZ-treated mice. Furthermore, 16S ribosomal RNA analysis revealed that SDV significantly improved the abnormal gut microbiota composition of CPZ-treated mice. An untargeted metabolomic analysis demonstrated that SDV significantly improved abnormal blood levels of metabolites in CPZ-treated mice compared with sham-operated CPZ-treated mice. Notably, there were correlations between demyelination or microglial activation in the brain and the relative abundance of several microbiome populations, suggesting a link between gut microbiota and the brain. There were also correlations between demyelination or microglial activation in the brain and blood levels of metabolites. Together, these data suggest that CPZ produces demyelination in the brain through the gut–microbiota–brain axis via the subdiaphragmatic vagus nerve. •Cuprizone (CPZ) caused demyelination in the mouse brain.•Subdiaphragmatic vagotomy (SDV) blocked demyelination in the brain of CPZ-treated mice.•SDV restored CPZ-induced abnormal composition of gut microbiota and blood metabolites.•Gut–microbiota–brain axis via vagus nerve plays a role in CPZ-induced demyelination.•Gut–brain axis via vagus nerve in demyelination of multiple sclerosis.