Pseudohypoxia induced by iron chelators preserves working memory performance in aged mice

Pseudohypoxia refers to a physiological condition wherein hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) is pharmacologically upregulated under normoxia, thereby modulating immune responses. We hypothesized that pseudohypoxia, induced by iron chelators, may similarly potentiate systemic immune responses in aged mice, concurrently triggering neuro-regenerative signaling pathways and enhancing cognitive performance. In this study, aged mice (43–48 weeks old) were orally administered two iron chelators, Super Polyphenol 10 (SP10) or Roxadustat, to induce a pseudohypoxia. An 8-week oral regimen of SP10 and Roxadustat significantly preserved working memory, as assessed by the Y-maze test (YMT). White blood cell counts and hippocampal volume, as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), were elevated in the treatment groups relative to controls. Pseudohypoxia induced by SP10 tended to enhance neuro-regenerative signaling, specifically involving the Tau and JNK pathways, and potentially modulated Doublecortin (DCX) expression, although statistical significance was limited by sample size. Importantly, inflammatory markers, such as ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), were not elevated by treatment. Collectively, these findings suggest that pseudohypoxia induced by iron chelators preserves working memory performance accompanied by leukocytosis, without concomitant neuroinflammation.