Chronic stress can cause intestinal
barrier damage. MAPK and NF-κB are closely related to it. Chlorogenic
acid (CGA), a dietary polyphenol, has been shown to have intestinal
protective effects, but whether by regulating MAPK and NF-κB
is not known. Therefore, in this experiment, 24 Wistar rats were randomly
divided into 4 groups (C group, CS group, CS + SB203580, and CS +
CGA group). Rats in the CS group were restrained stress for 6 h per
day for 21 days. Rats in the CS + SB203580 group were given SB203582
(0.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection) 1 h before restraint stress
every other day. Rats in the CS + CGA group were given CGA (100 mg/kg,
gavage) 1 h before restraint stress. In chronic stress, intestinal
barrier damage was evident, while being restored after CGA treatment.
After chronic stress, the levels of p-P38 were increased (P < 0.01), while the levels of p-JNK and p-ERK were not
changed. The levels of p-p38 were elevated after CGA treatment (P < 0.01). These results suggested that p38MAPK played
an important role in chronic stress-induced intestinal injury, and
CGA could inhibit p38MAPK activity. Therefore, we chose SB203582 (P38MAPK
inhibitor) to elucidate the role of p38. After chronic stress, intestinal
tight junction key proteins Occludin, ZO-1, and Claudin3 protein and
gene expression were reduced (P < 0.01), while
being elevated after CGA or SB203582 intervention (P < 0.05). After CGA treatment, the levels of p-IκB, p-p65,
p-p38, and TNF-α were reduced (P < 0.01).
SB203582 intervention reduced p-p65 and TNF-α levels significantly
(P < 0.01). These results suggested that CGA could
inhibit the NF-κB pathway by suppressing p38MAPK, thereby alleviating
chronic stress-induced intestinal damage.