The effects of polysaccharides from Schizophyllum commune (Fr.) on amyloid-β and GFAP-induced neuronal injury in hippocampal regions of hyperlipidemia-affected rats.

AIMS: (Fr.) or split-gill mushroom (SG) in rats induced with an HFD. METHODS: The Y-maze test assessed spontaneous alternation percentages and short-term memory in all rat groups, while H&E and Cresyl violet staining revealed alterations in the characteristics of neurons across treatment groups. Immunofluorescence was employed to identify the expressions of neurodegenerative and inflammatory proteins. RESULTS: The short-term memory was evaluated using the Y-maze test, which found that the spontaneous alternation percentage was lower in the HFD group and higher in the HFD+SG group compared with the control group. Alterations in neuron characteristics were revealed by Cresyl violet and H&E staining. The HFD group was found to have necrotic neurons; however, the HFD+SG group had less damage than the HFD group. Immunofluorescence observations indicated the expression of Aβ and GFAP proteins; the HFD group showed an increase in Aβ and GFAP accumulation, whereas in the HFD+SG group, these were significantly reduced. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated improvements in hippocampal neurons, suggesting that polysaccharides from SG may be able to lessen the harm caused to the brain by consuming an HFD.