Citrulline prevents age-related LTP decline in old rats

Antonin Ginguay (1, 2) , Anne Regazzetti (3) , Olivier Laprevote (3) , Christophe C. Moinard (4, 5) , Jean-Pascal de Bandt (6, 5) , Luc L. Cynober (7, 2) , Jean-Marie Billard (1) , Bernadette Allinquant (1) , Patrick Dutar (1, 8)

1 U894 - Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences
2 EA 4466, Laboratoire de Biologie de la Nutrition
3 UMR 8638 - Equipe Pharmacognosie
4 LBFA - Laboratory of Fundamental and Applied Bioenergetics = Laboratoire de bioénergétique fondamentale et appliquée
5 Laboratoire de Biologie de la Nutrition, EA4466, Faculté de Pharmacie
6 Service de biochimie [Hôtel-Dieu]
7 Service de Biochimie, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Centre, Hôpital Cochin, AP-HP, Paris, France
8 LAC - Laboratoire Aimé Cotton

The prevalence of cognitive decline is increasing as the ageing population is considerably growing. Restricting this age-associated process has become a challenging public health issue. The age-related increase in oxidative stress plays a major role in cognitive decline, because of its harmful effect on functional plasticity of the brain, such as long-term potentiation (LTP). Here, we show that citrulline (Cit) has powerful antioxidant properties that can limit ex vivo oxidative stress-induced LTP impairment in the hippocampus. We also illustrate that a three-month Cit supplementation has a protective effect on LTP in aged rats in vivo. The identification of a Cit oxidation byproduct in vitro suggests that the antioxidant properties of Cit could result from its own oxidation. Cit supplementation may be a promising preventive nutritional approach to limit age-related cognitive decline.

Domaines: Neurobiologie

Antonin Ginguay, Anne Regazzetti, Olivier Laprevote, Christophe C. Moinard, Jean-Pascal de Bandt, et al.. Citrulline prevents age-related LTP decline in old rats. Scientific Reports, 2019, 9, ⟨10.1038/s41598-019-56598-2⟩. ⟨hal-02991706⟩