EVALUATION OF CYTOPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF CHESTNUT TREE EXTRACTS IN A MODEL OF MICROGLIA INFLAMMATION

Microglia plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases and increasing evidence suggested that the control of microglia activation may have protective effects against neurodegenerative diseases [1]. Microglial cells are indeed the major resident immune cells in the CNS, with a resting phenotype under normal conditions. However, upon infection (e.g LPS) or neuronal injury, microglial cells become active and in an inflammatory state [2]. Therefore, the purpose of this study is the evaluation of the potential anti-inflammatory effect exerted by different chestnut tree extracts in BV-2 cells. Leaves, spiny cupules and pericarps, collected from different chestnut trees, are the subject of a multidisciplinary study aimed at validating the most relevant metabolites with cytoprotective and antinflammatory effects in chestnut by-products, in order to reduce the environmental impact linked to their management. The potential cytoprotective effect of different extracts from chestnut leave, spiny cupules and pericarps has been evaluated by the MTT reduction assay in a microglia cellular model (BV-2), following inflammatory stimulation with LPS. Moreover, IL-1β expression induced by LPS in the presence or absence of extracts from leaves, spiny cupules and pericarps has been evaluated by PCR. LPS has indeed the ability to induce the release of inflammatory mediators (e.g. IL1-β) [3] and some of the tested extracts counteract this effect. Preliminary results suggest a low toxicity and a promising anti-inflammatory activity of some of the tested extracts. [1] Wolf SA, et al., Annu Rev Physiol. 2017;79:619-643. [2] Qin S, et al., Pharmacol Res. 2018;133:218-235. [3] Messeha SS, et al., J Neuroimmunol. 2017;313:129-137. This work was supported by MIUR-PRIN 2015 (No. 20152HKF3Z) and by Accademia Nazionale di Agricoltura.