Abstract
The research has only yielded a partial comprehension of MDD and the mechanisms underlying the antidepressant-like effects of XYS. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to explore the effects of XYS on chronic unpredictable mild stress- (CUMS-) induced changes in the neuronal and the astrocytic markers in the mouse hippocampus. The physical states and depressive-like behaviors in mice with CUMS were recorded. The serum contents of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) were measured. The protein and mRNA expressions and the immunoreactivities of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neuronal nuclei (NeuN) in mouse hippocampus were detected using a Western blot, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. XYS treatment markedly improved the physical state and depressive-like behaviors in mice subjected to CUMS compared with the model group, and the serum contents of BDNF and GDNF were significantly upregulated. XYS treatment also elevated the protein and mRNA levels, as well as the immunoreactivity of GFAP in the hippocampus. However, CUMS did not influence NeuN expression. In conclusion, these results reveal that chronic administration of XYS elicits antidepressant-like effects in a mouse model of depression and may normalize glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in the hippocampi of mice with CUMS.
Highlights
Major depressive disorder (MDD), called major depression (MD), is a highly prevalent chronic illness and a common psychiatric disorder affecting a rising percentage of the world’s population
The CUMS paradigm induced a gradual deterioration of coat state in the model group that did not reach significance after 2 weeks of stress but worsened until the end of the stressinducing regimen (3 weeks) and was eventually significantly different compared to the model group (F(3,56) = 25.08, P = 0.000, P < 0.001)
The coat state evaluation, unlike the open field test, forced swimming test (FST), or novelty suppressed feeding test (NSF), is a measure that is not associated with depression in humans; the coat state assay is the most reliable, prevalent, and well-validated method for the mouse model of depression
Summary
Major depressive disorder (MDD), called major depression (MD), is a highly prevalent chronic illness and a common psychiatric disorder affecting a rising percentage of the world’s population. According to the World Health Organization, depression may become one of the main leading causes of disease burden by 2030 [1]. This mental disorder presents with depressed mood, disturbed appetite or sleep, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, loss of interest, fatigue, and difficulty making decisions or poor concentration. Chronic social stress affects glial cells in the hippocampus of male tree shrews, where it decreases the number of immunocytochemically detectable astrocytes [6]. The changes in neurons or astrocytes in the hippocampus are involved in the pathogenesis of MDD
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