ArticleMolecular brain2020
Propionic acid induces dendritic spine loss by MAPK/ERK signaling and dysregulation of autophagic flux.
Article in Molecular brain, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Convergent blood-brain barrier breakdown in schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders: a systematic review of preclinical animal models.Fluids and barriers of the CNS · 2026Pooled it
- Investigating the clinical efficacy, safety and molecular mechanism of sulforaphane in autism spectrum disorder: an integrated study combining meta-analysis, network pharmacology, and computational biology.BMC pharmacology & toxicology · 2025Pooled it
- Altered Gut Microbiota and Short-chain Fatty Acids in Chinese Children with Constipated Autism Spectrum Disorder.Scientific reports · 2023Trial
- Article
- Reversible synaptic deficits in early-stage batten disease.Journal of translational medicine · 2026Article
- Probiotics as Modulators of Adult Neurogenesis and Synaptic Plasticity: New Perspectives in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Affective Disorders.Biomedicines · 2026Review
- Gut-Brain Inflammation and Disrupted Homeostasis Due to Activation of Mast Cells and Microglia.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Metabolic toxicity and neurological dysfunction in methylmalonic acidemia: from mechanisms to therapeutics.Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.) · 2025Review
- Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Liposomal Co-Enzyme QInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- Restoration of Cathepsin D Level via L-Serine Attenuates PPA-Induced Lysosomal Dysfunction in Neuronal Cells.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- Gastrointestinal symptoms have a minor impact on autism spectrum disorder and associations with gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids.Frontiers in microbiology · 2022Article
- A Multi-Target and Multi-Channel Mechanism of Action for Jiawei Yinhuo Tang in the Treatment of Social Communication Disorders in Autism: Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Studies.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2022Article
- Fecal Transplant andBrain sciences · 2021Article
- Correlative Light and Transmission Electron Microscopy Showed Details of Mitophagy by Mitochondria Quality Control in Propionic Acid Treated SH-SY5Y Cell.Materials (Basel, Switzerland) · 2020Article
- Shielding Effect of Ryanodine Receptor Modulator in Rat Model of Autism.Basic and clinical neuroscienceArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Propionic acid (PPA) is a short-chain fatty acid that is an important mediator of cellular metabolism. It is also a by-product of human gut enterobacteria and a common food preservative. A recent study found that rats administered with PPA showed autistic-like behaviors like restricted interest, impaired social behavior, and impaired reversal in a T-maze task. This study aimed to identify a link between PPA and autism phenotypes facilitated by signaling mechanisms in hippocampal neurons. Findings indicated autism-like pathogenesis associated with reduced dendritic spines in PPA-treated hippocampal neurons. To uncover the mechanisms underlying this loss, we evaluated autophagic flux, a functional readout of autophagy, using relevant biomedical markers. Results indicated that autophagic flux is impaired in PPA-treated hippocampal neurons. At a molecular level, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway was activated and autophagic activity was impaired. We also observed that a MAPK inhibitor rescued dendritic spine loss in PPA-treated hippocampal neurons. Taken together, these results suggest a previously unknown link between PPA and autophagy in spine formation regulation in hippocampal neurons via MAPK/ERK signaling. Our results indicate that MAPK/ERK signaling participates in autism pathogenesis by autophagy disruption affecting dendritic spine density. This study may help to elucidate other mechanisms underlying autism and provide a potential strategy for treating ASD-associated pathology.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.