Electroacupuncture Prevents the Depression-Like Behavior by Inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3 Inflammatory Pathway in Hippocampus of Mice Subjected to Chronic Mild Stress

2022 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Qi Wang ◽  
Hongsheng Bi ◽  
Hongfei Huang ◽  
Yitong Wang ◽  
Lili Gong ◽  
...  

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The precise physiological mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of depression are still unknown. This study aimed to observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on depression-like behavior of mouse in chronic mild stress (CMS) model and explore the underlying mechanism. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The depression model was established by using CMS method for 6 weeks. After the third week of the CMS paradigm, EA treatment was performed daily for 15 min over a period of 3 weeks. The antidepressant-like effects of EA were evaluated using the sucrose preference test and the forced swimming test (FST). The protein levels of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), p-NF-κB, inhibitor of NF-κB, p-IκBα, NOD-like receptor protein 3, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in hippocampus of mice were detected. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Sucrose preference was decreased after 6 weeks of CMS and the effects of CMS was reversed by EA. CMS increased immobility time and decreased latency to the first immobility in the FST test, but these effects were reversed by EA. CMS-induced nuclear entry of NF-κB (nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio of NF-κB) with an increase in protein levels of p-NF-κB and p-IκBα in the hippocampus. The CMS also increased NLRP3 levels in the hippocampus. However, these effects were reversed by EA. In addition, the levels of IL-6, IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α in the hippocampus were increased by CMS, and these effects of stress were reversed by EA. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> EA prevented CMS-induced depressive-like behaviors by inhibiting NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammatory pathway.

Author(s):  
Karima A. El-Shamy ◽  
Khaled M. M. Koriem ◽  
Nevein N. Fadl ◽  
Marwa H. A. El-Azma ◽  
Mahmoud S. S. Arbid ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundDepression is a psychiatric disease condition and the chronic mild stress (CMS) model is a well-known and valuable animal model of depression. Geranium oil and anise oil were chosen for such a study. The aim of this research was to establish the geranium oil and anise oil effect to ameliorate CMS-related symptoms.MethodsThis research included 80 male albino rats each group of 10 rats and the animals were divided into two major groups: normal and CMS. The normal group was subdivided into four (control, geranium oil, anise oil and venlafaxine drug) subgroups treated orally with saline, geranium oil, anise oil and venlafaxine drug, respectively, for 4 weeks. The CMS group was subdivided into four (CMS without any treatment, CMS + geranium oil, CMS + anise oil and CMS + venlafaxine drug) subgroups treated orally with geranium oil, anise oil and venlafaxine drug, respectively, for 4 weeks.ResultsThe sucrose consumption in sucrose preference test, the distance traveled test and center square entries test were decreased, while center square duration test, immobility time in tail suspension test and floating time in forced swimming test were increased in CMS. The superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase and catalase levels decreased but malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels increased in brain cerebral cortex and hippocampus areas in CMS. The oral intake of geranium oil and anise oil pushes all these parameters to approach the control levels. These results were supported by histopathological investigations of both brain cerebral cortex and hippocampus tissues.ConclusionsGeranium oil and anise oil ameliorate CMS-related symptoms and this effect were related to the antioxidant effects of oils.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 283-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feyza Aricioğlu ◽  
Canan Yalcinkaya ◽  
Ceren Sahin Ozkartal ◽  
Erdem Tuzun ◽  
Serap Sirvanci ◽  
...  

Objective NOD-like receptor protein 1 (NLRP1) inflammasome complex has been recently associated with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model of depression. Our aim was to investigate whether ketamine-induced antidepressant effect is associated with suppression of NLRP1.Methods Wistar albino rats were divided into control, CUMS, CUMS+acute ketamine (a single 10 mg/kg dose) and CUMS+chronic ketamine (daily 10 mg/kg injections for 3 weeks) groups (n=10 for each group). Sucrose preference test and forced swimming test were performed to assess anhedonia and immobility time respectively for the severety of depression symptoms. Brain tissues were dissected and prefrontal cortex and hippocampus regions were used for real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemical analysis.Results CUMS procedure significantly induced depressive-like symptoms whereas both acute and chronic ketamine treatment ameliorated them. mRNA expression levels of NLRP1, caspase 1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), NF-κB, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, IL-1β, IL-6, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) and purinergic 2×7 receptor (P2X7R) and numbers of Iba- 1+and GFAP+glial cells were reduced by acute and/or chronic ketamine treatment.Conclusion In the present study for the first time upstream and downstream elements of the NLRP1 inflammasome complex are shown to be suppressed by ketamine thus reinforcing the involvement of NLRP1 in the physiopathology of depression.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Jiang ◽  
Haixia Wang ◽  
Hong Huang ◽  
Jingwei Lv ◽  
Guirong Zeng ◽  
...  

Depression is a common yet severe neuropsychiatric condition that causes imposes considerable personal, economic, and social burdens worldwide. Medicinal plant species (e.g., Panax ginseng and Polygala tenuifolia) demonstrate potent antidepressant-like effects with less toxicity and other side effects. Shen yuan prescription (SY), composed of Panax ginseng (GT) and Polygala tenuifolia (YT). The present study aimed to elucidate the effects of SY treatment on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rats and study the underlying mechanism. Our results indicated that SY (67.5, 135, or 270 mg/kg) significantly reverses the depressive-like behaviors in rats with a 5-week CUMS exposure, as demonstrated by increased sucrose consumption in the sucrose preference test, and decreased immobility time in the tail suspension and forced swim test. Moreover, SY altered serum corticosterone levels, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α), and oxidative markers (SOD, CAT, and MDA), and increased the levels of hippocampal neurotransmitters (5-HT, DA, and NE) in rats exposed to CUMS. Furthermore, rats treated with SY showed a reduction in the protein expression of BDNF, p-TrkB, p-Akt, and p-mTOR proteins induced by CUMS exposure in the hippocampus. In conclusion, SY prevented depressive-like behaviors in CUMS-exposed rats by preventing hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction, decreasing the levels of the neurotransmitters, minimizing oxidative stress, suppressing neuroinflammation, and activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR-mediated BDNF/TrkB pathway, all of which are the key players in the pathological basis of depression.


Author(s):  
Monika Głuch-Lutwin ◽  
Kinga Sałaciak ◽  
Alicja Gawalska ◽  
Marek Jamrozik ◽  
Joanna Sniecikowska ◽  
...  

Abstract Rationale The prevalence of depression is ever-increasing throughout the population. However, available treatments are ineffective in around one-third of patients and there is a need for more effective and safer drugs. Objectives The antidepressant-like and procognitive effects of the “biased agonists” F15599 (also known as NLX-101) which preferentially targets postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors and F13714, which targets 5-HT1A autoreceptors, were investigated in mice. Methods Antidepressant-like properties of the compounds and their effect on cognitive functions were assessed using the forced swim test (FST) and the novel object recognition (NOR), respectively. Next, we induced a depressive-like state by an unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) procedure to test the compounds’ activity in the depression model, followed by measures of sucrose preference, FST, and locomotor activity. Levels of phosphorylated cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB) and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK1/2) were also determined. Results F15599 reduced immobility time in the FST over a wider dose-range (2 to 16 mg/kg po) than F13714 (2 and 4 mg/kg po), suggesting accentuated antidepressant-like properties in mice. F15599 did not disrupt long-term memory consolidation in the NOR at any dose tested, while F13714 impaired memory formation, notably at higher doses (4–16 mg/kg). In UCMS mice, a single administration of F15599 and F13714 was sufficient to robustly normalize depressive-like behavior in the FST but did not rescue disrupted sucrose preference. Both F15599 and F13714 rescued cortical and hippocampal deficits in p-ERK1/2 levels of UCMS mice but did not influence the p-CREB levels. Conclusions Our studies showed that 5-HT1A receptor biased agonists such as F13714 and especially F15599, due to its less pronounced side effects, might have potential as fast-acting antidepressants.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Luo ◽  
Shuhua Deng ◽  
Jian Yi ◽  
Sainan Zhou ◽  
Yan She ◽  
...  

Objective.The aim of the present research is to investigate the therapeutic effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) in poststroke depression (PSD) animal model and illustrate its underlying mechanism via promoting neurotrophic pathway mediated neuroprotection and neurogenesis.Methods.To induce PSD rat model, isolation housed rats that received middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) surgery successively suffered from chronic mild stress (CMS) treatment for consecutive twenty-one days. Meanwhile, rats were correspondingly given vehicle, BHD, and fluoxetine. Then, neurologic function was scored and depressive-like behaviors were assessed by sucrose preference test, locomotor activity, novelty-suppressed feeding test, and forced swim test. Thereafter, the neuroprotection and neurogenesis related molecular markers and signaling were detected.Results.We firstly observed a significant neurological function recovery and antidepressants effect of BHD after MCAO together with CMS treatment. Our study also found that treatment with BHD and fluoxetine can significantly rescue neurons from apoptosis and promote neurogenesis in the CA3 and DG regions in the hippocampus. Notably, BHD and fluoxetine treatment can activate BDNF/ERK/CREB signaling.Conclusion.The results suggest that BHD is a promising candidate for treating PSD. Its curative effects can be attributed to neurotrophic pathway mediated neuroprotection and neurogenesis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Kun Zhang ◽  
Ran Liu ◽  
Jingruo Zhang ◽  
Xifang Wei ◽  
Yuan Gao ◽  
...  

Background. Hippocampal synaptic plasticity during the pathological process of depression has received increasing attention. Hippocampal neuron atrophy and the reduction in synaptic density induced by chronic stress are important pathological mechanisms of depression. Electroacupuncture (EA) exerts beneficial effects on depression, but the mechanism is unclear. This study explored the effect of EA on synaptic plasticity and the potential mechanism. Methods. Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into the control, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), EA, and fluoxetine (FLX) groups, and each group consisted of 12 rats. The sucrose preference test, open field test, and forced swimming test were used for the evaluation of depression-like behaviour, and Golgi and Nissl staining were used for the assessment of synaptic plasticity. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were conducted to detect proteins related to synaptic plasticity and to determine their effects on signalling pathways. Results. We found that CUMS led to depression-like behaviours, including a reduced preference for sucrose, a prolonged immobility time, and reduced exploration activity. The dendritic spine densities and neuron numbers and the protein levels of MAP-2, PSD-95, and SYN were decreased in the hippocampi of rats with CUMS-induced depression, and these trends were reversed by EA. The molecular mechanism regulating this plasticity may involve the GluN2B/CaMKII/CREB signalling pathway. Conclusion. These results suggest that EA can improve depression-like behaviour and hippocampal plasticity induced by CUMS, and the mechanism may be related to the GluN2B/CaMKII/CREB pathway.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 981-988
Author(s):  
Venkata Naveen Kumar P. ◽  
Elango P. ◽  
Asmathulla S. ◽  
Kavimani S

The present study aimed at evaluating the effects of lycopene on CMS-induced depressive-like behavioral changes in Wistar rats. In present study, rodents were selected randomly and grouped in to seven groups. Each group consists of six animals. All the groups are subjected to chronic mild stress in an unpredictable manner except the control group, which is free from stress. Behavioral changes induced during chronic mild stress were assessed by conducting the behavioral tests like forced swim test, sucrose preferences test, elevated plus maze test and open field tests in screening depressant and anxiety activity. The data analysis showed chronic mild stress produced depressive and anxiogenic behavior in the experimental rats. A significant increase in the immobility time and decrease in sucrose consumption in sucrose preference test are noted in CMS and vehicle groups. Similarly, in an elevated plus maze a significant decrease in the entries in the open arm and decrease in central square entries, and rearing behavior and increase in the duration of immobility were observed in open field test.Lycopene treatment for 6-weeks significantly decreased immobility time and increased in sucrose consumption observed in the forced swim test and sucrose preference test respectively. Lycopene significantly increased number of entries in the open arm of elevated plus maze and decreased grooming and freezing behavior in open field method. lycopene supplemented dose of 5mg/kg showed an insignificant results in all the behavioral models (p>0.05).The data were expressed as Mean±SD.Data were analyzed and differences between the means were determined by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) Using graph pad prism version 5.03 statistical software. In all the tests, differences were considered significant if p<0.05 to be a statistical significant. lycopene possesses antidepressant and mild- anxiolytic activity which may be due to its antioxidant effect that might warrant further studies.


Author(s):  
Alisha Abbas ◽  
Narendra Kumar ◽  
Sarvesh Singh ◽  
Rahul Kumar ◽  
Akhlaque Ahmad ◽  
...  

Background: Depression was seen to be associated with an increased level of inflammatory biomarkers along with the disturbance in the monoamine neurotransmitter system. Current therapies are mostly focussed on the neurotransmitters imbalance but due to increasing cases of treatment failure there is a need to shift our treatment focus to other potential therapies. This study aimed to evaluate the preventive role of aspirin and metformin in stress induced model of depression in wistar rats.Methods: Fifty four wistar rats were randomly divided into nine groups as normal control, experimental control, aspirin (30 mg/kg, 60 mg/kg), metformin (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg), two combination groups and imipramine (15 mg/kg). Depression model was created by the induction of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for consecutive 28 days. Behavioural assessment was done by evaluating immobility time in forced swim test (FST) and sucrose preference ratio (SPR) in sucrose preference test. The data were analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) test using SPSS software. P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.Results: The CUMS led to an increase in immobility time and decrease in SPR. Aspirin and Metformin alone and their combinations showed statistically significant response in preventing the immobility time to increase (p<0.001) and SPR to decrease (p<0.001). However the response of Aspirin was comparable with Imipramine but the response of Metformin was not as significant as of Imipramine (p>0.05).Conclusions: Aspirin and metformin might have a potential role in the prevention of depression.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhilan Peng ◽  
Cai Zhang ◽  
Ling Yan ◽  
Yongping Zhang ◽  
Zhiyou Yang ◽  
...  

Clinical evidence indicated that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was more effective than docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in depression treatment. However, possible mechanisms remain unclear. Here, a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced model of depression was used to compare EPA and DHA anti-depressant effects. After EPA or DHA feeding, depression-like behavior, brain n-3/n-6 PUFAs profile, serum corticosterone and cholesterol concentration, hippocampal neurotransmitters, microglial and astrocyte related function, as well as neuronal apoptosis and survival signaling pathways were studied. EPA was more effective than DHA to ameliorate CUMS-induced body weight loss, and depression-like behaviors, such as increasing sucrose preference, shortening immobility time and increasing locomotor activity. CUMS-induced corticosterone elevation was reversed by bother fatty acids, while increased cholesterol was only reduced by EPA supplement. Lower hippocampal noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine concentrations in CUMS rats were also reversed by both EPA and DHA supplement. However, even though CUMS-induced microglial activation and associated increased IL-1β were inhibited by both EPA and DHA supplement, increased IL-6 and TNF-α levels were only reduced by EPA. Compared to DHA, EPA could improve CUMS-induced suppressive astrocyte biomarkers and associated BDNF-TrkB signaling. Moreover, EPA was more effective than DHA to attenuate CUMS-induced higher hippocampal NGF, GDNF, NF-κB, p38, p75, and bax expressions, but reversed bcl-2 reduction. This study for the first time revealed the mechanisms by which EPA was more powerful than DHA in anti-inflammation, normalizing astrocyte and neurotrophin function and regulating NF-κB, p38 and apoptosis signaling. These findings reveal the different mechanisms of EPA and DHA in clinical depression treatment.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document