Temporin-GHaR6R Peptide Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis by Suppressing Microglial M1 Polarization and Mitochondrial Dynamics Dysfunction.

Authors

Da-Qi Zhang, Hui-Min Xu, Jing Lu, Yu-Sheng Huang, Xiao-Li Feng, Li-Jun Chen, Wen-Jie Zhao, Rong Wang, Yingxia Zhang, Qifu Li

Published in

Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins. Jul 21, 2026. Epub Jul 21, 2026.

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS), an immune-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS), is driven by microglia as key orchestrators of neuroinflammation. This study assessed the preventive potential of temporin-GHaR6R (GHaR6R), an antimicrobial peptide derived from Hylarana guentheri skin, using the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) murine model of MS. Preventive administration of GHaR6R significantly reduced EAE incidence and alleviated clinical severity, while histopathological analyses (HE and LFB staining) revealed attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration and demyelination in the spinal cord. Mechanistically, GHaR6R suppressed M1 microglial polarization, thereby limiting excessive neuroinflammatory activation. In vitro, GHaR6R inhibited TNF-α and IL-6 secretion, reduced mitochondrial ROS production, preserved mitochondrial membrane potential in LPS-activated BV2 microglia, and promoted the shift from M1 to M2 microglial polarization. Consistent with these findings, GHaR6R downregulated mitochondrial fission protein Drp-1 while upregulating the fusion mediators MFN1 and MFN2 in both EAE-affected spinal cords and LPS-stimulated BV2 cells. Immunofluorescence analysis showed increased colocalization of Iba-1 with MFN1/2, indicating enhanced mitochondrial fusion in microglia. Taken together, these results demonstrate that GHaR6R ameliorates EAE progression by modulating microglial mitochondrial dynamics, mitigating neuroinflammation, and inhibiting M1 polarization, highlighting its potential as an early prophylactic intervention for MS.

PMID:
42479332
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 21 Jul 2026.

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