The effects of antidepressants on inflammatory factors of frontal lobe in depression model rats

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of antidepressants on frontal lobe inflammatory factors in depressed model rats. Methods Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=6): contorl group(Cn), depression group(Dn), citalopram group(Dx), venlafaxine group(Dw) and reboxetine group(Dr) . The open field test and sugar consumption test were performed to observe the depression behavior and the changes of FGF-1, TNF-α, IL-1 and CRP were measured in frontal lobe of rats by ELISA. Pearson linear correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between behavioral score and inflammatory factors level in rats. Results (1)Compared with the Cn group, the scores of Dn, Dr, Dw, Dx group were decreased on Open field test and sugar consumption test (P<0.05). Compared with the Dn group, the scores of the Dx, Dw, Dr group were increased in Open field test and sugar consumption test (P<0.05). (2)Compared with Cn group, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1 and CRP increased in Dn group and FGF-1 level decreased (P<0.01). Compared with Dn group, the levels of FGF-1 increased in Dx ((86.54±2.56)ng/L), Dw((79.82±4.89)ng/L) and Dr ((68.50±3.61)ng/L) group, however, the levels of TNF-α decreased in Dx ((150.21±5.65)ng/L), Dw ((161.28±8.80)ng/L), Dr ((175.78±9.67)ng/L) group, and the level of IL-1 also decreased in Dx ((30.87±4.48)ng/L), Dw ((36.65±3.33)ng/L), Dr ((40.14±2.81)ng/L) group, and the levels of CRP also decreased in Dx ((374.88±14.15)ng/L), Dw ((394.21±17.03)ng/L), Dr ((414.34±10.97)ng/L) (P<0.01). (3)The behavioral score of each group was positively correlated with of FGF-1 and negatively correlated with TNF-a, IL-1 and CRP (P<0.05). Conclusion Antidepressants can reduce the level of proinflammatory factors and increase the level of anti-inflammatory factors of frontal lobe in depression model rats, suggesting that antidepressants may play an antidepressant effect by regulating the concentration of inflammatory factors. Key words: Antidepressants; Depression model rats; FGF-1; TNF-a; IL-1; C-reaction protein