Neuron-immunity communication: mechanism of neuroprotective effects in EGCG

Abstract

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a naturally occurring active ingredient unique to tea, has been shown to have neuroprotective potential. There is growing evidence of its potential advantages in the prevention and treatment of neuroinflammation, neurodegenerative diseases, and neurological damage. Neuroimmune communication is an important physiological mechanism in neurological diseases, including immune cell activation and response, cytokine delivery. EGCG shows great neuroprotective potential by modulating signals related to autoimmune response and improving communication between the nervous system and the immune system, effectively reducing the inflammatory state and neurological function. During neuroimmune communication, EGCG promotes the secretion of neurotrophic factors into the repair of damaged neurons, improves intestinal microenvironmental homeostasis, and ameliorates pathological phenotypes through molecular and cellular mechanisms related to the brain-gut axis. Here, we discuss the molecular and cellular mechanisms of inflammatory signaling exchange involving neuroimmune communication. We further emphasize that the neuroprotective role of EGCG is dependent on the modulatory role between immunity and neurology in neurologically related diseases.

Keywords:

• Anti-inflammation
• EGCG
• gut-brain axion
• neuro-immune communication
• neuroprotection

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Nation natural science foundation of China (NFSC) under Grant 32072155, The Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province Youth Fund (No. 2021JJ40251), The Tea Industry Chain Project in Hunan Province(2021NK1020).