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Kouba BR, de Araujo Borba L, Borges de Souza P, Gil-Mohapel J, Rodrigues ALS. Role of Inflammatory Mechanisms in Major Depressive Disorder: From Etiology to Potential Pharmacological Targets. Cells 2024; 13:423. [PMID: 38474387 DOI: 10.3390/cells13050423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The involvement of central and peripheral inflammation in the pathogenesis and prognosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) has been demonstrated. The increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α) in individuals with depression may elicit neuroinflammatory processes and peripheral inflammation, mechanisms that, in turn, can contribute to gut microbiota dysbiosis. Together, neuroinflammation and gut dysbiosis induce alterations in tryptophan metabolism, culminating in decreased serotonin synthesis, impairments in neuroplasticity-related mechanisms, and glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. This review aims to highlight the inflammatory mechanisms (neuroinflammation, peripheral inflammation, and gut dysbiosis) involved in the pathophysiology of MDD and to explore novel anti-inflammatory therapeutic approaches for this psychiatric disturbance. Several lines of evidence have indicated that in addition to antidepressants, physical exercise, probiotics, and nutraceuticals (agmatine, ascorbic acid, and vitamin D) possess anti-inflammatory effects that may contribute to their antidepressant properties. Further studies are necessary to explore the therapeutic benefits of these alternative therapies for MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna R Kouba
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Laura de Araujo Borba
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Pedro Borges de Souza
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Joana Gil-Mohapel
- Island Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Ana Lúcia S Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
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Saha P, Panda S, Holkar A, Vashishth R, Rana SS, Arumugam M, Ashraf GM, Haque S, Ahmad F. Neuroprotection by agmatine: Possible involvement of the gut microbiome? Ageing Res Rev 2023; 91:102056. [PMID: 37673131 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Agmatine, an endogenous polyamine derived from L-arginine, elicits tremendous multimodal neuromodulant properties. Alterations in agmatinergic signalling are closely linked to the pathogeneses of several brain disorders. Importantly, exogenous agmatine has been shown to act as a potent neuroprotectant in varied pathologies, including brain ageing and associated comorbidities. The antioxidant, anxiolytic, analgesic, antidepressant and memory-enhancing activities of agmatine may derive from its ability to regulate several cellular pathways; including cell metabolism, survival and differentiation, nitric oxide signalling, protein translation, oxidative homeostasis and neurotransmitter signalling. This review briefly discusses mammalian metabolism of agmatine and then proceeds to summarize our current understanding of neuromodulation and neuroprotection mediated by agmatine. Further, the emerging exciting bidirectional links between agmatine and the resident gut microbiome and their implications for brain pathophysiology and ageing are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Saha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Subhrajita Panda
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Aayusha Holkar
- Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Rahul Vashishth
- Department of Biosciences, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Sandeep Singh Rana
- Department of Biosciences, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Mohanapriya Arumugam
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - Ghulam Md Ashraf
- University of Sharjah, College of Health Sciences, and Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Shafiul Haque
- Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia; Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon; Centre of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Faraz Ahmad
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India.
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Dahchour A. Anxiolytic and antidepressive potentials of rosmarinic acid: A review with a focus on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Pharmacol Res 2022; 184:106421. [PMID: 36096427 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders that have emerged as global health concerns. Anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs, such as benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and tricyclics, are the first line used in treating anxiety and depression. Although these drugs lack efficacy and have a delayed response time and numerous side effects, their widespread abuse and market continue to grow. Over time, traditional practices using natural and phytochemicals as alternative therapies to chemical drugs have emerged to treat many pathological conditions, including anxiety and depression. Recent preclinical studies have demonstrated that the phenolic compound, rosmarinic acid, is effective against several neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. In addition, rosmarinic acid showed various pharmacological effects, such as cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, lung protective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. However, the potentialities of the use of rosmarinic acid in the treatment of nervous system-related disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are less or not yet reviewed. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to present several preclinical and clinical studies, when available, from different databases investigating the effects of rosmarinic acid on anxiety and depression. These studies showed that rosmarinic acid produces advantageous effects on anxiety and depression through its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This review will examine and discuss the possibility that the anxiolytic and anti-depressive effects of rosmarinic acid could be associated with its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelkader Dahchour
- Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30000, Morocco.
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Rani T, Behl T, Sharma N, Makeen HA, Albratty M, Alhazmi HA, Meraya AM, Bhatia S, Bungau SG. Exploring the role of biologics in depression. Cell Signal 2022; 98:110409. [PMID: 35843573 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2022.110409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Depression is a chronic and prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder; clinical symptoms include excessive sad mood, anhedonia, increased anxiety, disturbed sleep, and cognitive deficits. The exact etiopathogenesis of depression is not well understood. Studies have suggested that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukins (ILs) perform vital roles in the pathogenesis and treatment of depression. Increasing evidence suggests the upregulation of TNF-α and ILs expression in patients with depression. Therefore, biologics like TNF inhibitors (etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab) and IL inhibitors (ustekinumab) have become key compounds in the treatment of depression. Interestingly, treatment with an antidepressant has been found to decrease the TNF-α level and improve depression-like behaviors in several preclinical and clinical studies. In the current article, we have reviewed the recent findings linking TNF-α and the pathogenesis of depression proving TNF-α inhibitors as potential new therapeutic agents. Animal models and clinical studies further support that TNF-α inhibitors are effective in ameliorating depression-like behaviors. Moreover, studies showed that peripheral injection of TNF-α exhibits depressive symptoms. These symptoms have been improved by treatment with TNF-α inhibitors. Hence suggesting TNF-α inhibitors as potential new antidepressants for the management of depressive disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarapati Rani
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India; Government Pharmacy College, Seraj, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Tapan Behl
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India.
| | - Neelam Sharma
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
| | - Hafiz A Makeen
- Pharmacy Practice Research Unit, Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Albratty
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hassan A Alhazmi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia; Substance Abuse and Toxicology Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulkarim M Meraya
- Pharmacy Parctice Research Unit, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saurabh Bhatia
- Natural & Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman; School of Health Science, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Simona Gabriela Bungau
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania; Doctoral School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania
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Camargo A, Dalmagro AP, Wolin IAV, Kaster MP, Rodrigues ALS. The resilient phenotype elicited by ketamine against inflammatory stressors-induced depressive-like behavior is associated with NLRP3-driven signaling pathway. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 144:118-128. [PMID: 34619490 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.09.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Ketamine has emerged as a prophylactic agent against depressive-like behavior induced by stress. However, the possible pro-resilience effects of ketamine against inflammatory stressors-induced depressive-like behavior and the signaling pathways associated with this response remain to be determined. Therefore, this study investigated the ability of prophylactic ketamine administration to produce a pro-resilience effect against the depressive-like behavior induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS - 0.83 mg/kg, i.p.) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α - 0.1 fg/site, i.c.v.) administration in mice. The possible contribution of the NLRP3 inflammasome-driven signaling pathway to this effect was evaluated in the ventral hippocampus. A single administration of ketamine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) given 1 week before the LPS or TNF-α administration prevented the depressive-like behavior induced by these inflammatory stressors in the tail suspension test (TST) and splash test (SPT). On the other hand, a lower dose of ketamine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) failed to produce a similar effect. The administration of LPS, but not TNF-α, increased the immunocontent of the microglial marker Iba-1 in the ventral hippocampus. LPS increased the immunocontent of all proteins related to NLRP3 signaling, namely ASC, NLRP3, TXNIP, cleaved caspase-1, and IL-1β in this brain region, while TNF-α only increased ASC and NLRP3 immunocontent. Ketamine administered at the dose of 5 mg/kg, but not at 1 mg/kg, prevented the increase on the immunocontent of NLRP3 inflammasome complex components and regulators induced by LPS or TNF-α administration. Collectively, these findings suggest that ketamine elicits a pro-resilient phenotype against inflammatory stressors-induced depressive-like behavior, an effect associated with the suppression of the NLRP3 inflammasome-driven signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson Camargo
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil.
| | - Ana Paula Dalmagro
- Department of Natural Sciences, Center of Exact and Natural Sciences, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, 89030-903, Blumenau, SC, Brazil.
| | - Ingrid A V Wolin
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil.
| | - Manuella P Kaster
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil.
| | - Ana Lúcia S Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil.
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Valverde AP, Camargo A, Rodrigues ALS. Agmatine as a novel candidate for rapid-onset antidepressant response. World J Psychiatry 2021; 11:981-996. [PMID: 34888168 PMCID: PMC8613765 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v11.i11.981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a disabling and highly prevalent mood disorder as well as a common cause of suicide. Chronic stress, inflammation, and intestinal dysbiosis have all been shown to play crucial roles in the pathophysiology of MDD. Although conventional antidepressants are widely used in the clinic, they can take weeks to months to produce therapeutic effects. The discovery that ketamine promotes fast and sustaining antidepressant responses is one of the most important breakthroughs in the pharmacotherapy of MDD. However, the adverse psychomimetic/dissociative and neurotoxic effects of ketamine discourage its chronic use. Therefore, agmatine, an endogenous glutamatergic modulator, has been postulated to elicit fast behavioral and synaptogenic effects by stimulating the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling pathway, similar to ketamine. However, recent evidence has demonstrated that the modulation of the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome and gut microbiota, which have been shown to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of MDD, may also participate in the antidepressant-like effects of both ketamine and agmatine. This review seeks to provide evidence about the mechanisms that may underlie the fast antidepressant-like responses of agmatine in preclinical studies. Considering the anti-inflammatory properties of agmatine, it may also be further investigated as a useful compound for the management of MDD associated with a pro-inflammatory state. Moreover, the fast antidepressant-like response of agmatine noted in animal models should be investigated in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Paula Valverde
- Department of Biochemistry, Campus Universitário, Center for Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900, Brazil
| | - Anderson Camargo
- Department of Biochemistry, Campus Universitário, Center for Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900, Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia S Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry, Campus Universitário, Center for Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040900, Brazil
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Characterization of a Novel Shewanella algae Arginine Decarboxylase Expressed in Escherichia coli. Mol Biotechnol 2021; 64:57-65. [PMID: 34532832 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-021-00397-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Arginine decarboxylase (ADC) catalyzes the decarboxylation of arginine to form agmatine, an important physiological and pharmacological amine, and attracts attention to the enzymatic production of agmatine. In this study, we for the first time overexpressed and characterized the marine Shewanella algae ADC (SaADC) in Escherichia coli. The recombinant SaADC showed the maximum activity at pH 7.5 and 40 °C. The SaADC displayed previously unreported substrate inhibition when the substrate concentration was higher than 50 mM, which was the upper limit of testing condition in other reports. In the range of 1-80 mM L-arginine, the SaADC showed the Km, kcat, Ki, and kcat/Km values of 72.99 ± 6.45 mM, 42.88 ± 2.63 s-1, 20.56 ± 2.18 mM, and 0.59 s/mM, respectively, which were much higher than the Km (14.55 ± 1.45 mM) and kcat (12.62 ± 0.68 s-1) value obtained by assaying at 1-50 mM L-arginine without considering substrate inhibition. Both the kcat values of SaADC with and without substrate inhibition are the highest ones to the best of our knowledge. This provides a reference for the study of substrate inhibition of ADCs.
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Budni J, Moretti M, Freitas AE, Neis VB, Ribeiro CM, de Oliveira Balen G, Rieger DK, Leal RB, Rodrigues ALS. Behavioral and neurochemical effects of folic acid in a mouse model of depression induced by TNF-α. Behav Brain Res 2021; 414:113512. [PMID: 34358572 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Folic acid has been reported to exert antidepressant effects, but its ability to abrogate the depressive-like behavior and signaling pathways alterations elicited by an inflammatory model of depression remains to be established. This study examined: a) the efficacy of folic acid in a mouse model of depression induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α); b) whether the administration of subthreshold doses of folic acid and antidepressants (fluoxetine, imipramine, and bupropion), MK-801, or 7-nitroindazole cause antidepressant-like effects; c) the effects of TNF-α and/or folic acid on hippocampal p38MAPK, Akt, ERK, and JNK phosphorylation. Folic acid reduced the immobility time in the tail suspension test (TST) in control mice (10-50 mg/kg, p.o) and abolished the depressive-like behavior elicited by TNF-α (0.001 fg/site, i.c.v.) in this test (1-50 mg/kg, p.o). Coadministration of subthreshold doses of folic acid (1 mg/kg, p.o.) and fluoxetine, imipramine, bupropion, MK-801, or 7-nitroindazole produced an antidepressant-like effect in mice exposed or not to TNF-α. TNF-α-treated mice presented increased p38MAPK phosphorylation and decreased Akt phosphorylation, and the later effect was prevented by folic acid (10 mg/kg, p.o.). Additionally, ERK1 phosphorylation was increased in mice treated with TNF-α + folic acid (1 mg/kg), but no effects on ERK2 or JNK1/2/3 phosphorylation were found in any group. The results indicate the efficacy of folic acid to counteract the depressive-like behavior induced by a pro-inflammatory cytokine, an effect that might be associated with the activation of monoaminergic systems, inhibition of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, as well as Akt modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiane Budni
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Morgana Moretti
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Andiara E Freitas
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Vivian B Neis
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Camille M Ribeiro
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Grasiela de Oliveira Balen
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Débora K Rieger
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo B Leal
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia S Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900, SC, Brazil.
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Rahangdale S, Fating R, Gajbhiye M, Kapse M, Inamdar N, Kotagale N, Umekar M, Taksande B. Involvement of agmatine in antidepressant-like effect of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors in mice. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 892:173739. [PMID: 33220274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
3-Hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-co-enzyme-A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) are popularly used for the treatment of obesity and hypercholesterolemia with established safety profile. Statins exhibits a wide range of neurobehavioral effects in addition to their peripheral actions, and may be beneficial in treatment of psychiatric conditions. Present study investigated the role of agmatine and imidazoline receptors in antidepressant-like effect of statins in mouse forced swimming test (FST). The antidepressant-like effect of atorvastatin (5 mg/kg, p.o.) and simvastatin (10 mg/kg, p.o.) was potentiated by pretreatment with agmatine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) as well as the drugs known to increase endogenous agmatine levels in brain viz., L-arginine (40 μg/mouse, i.c.v.), an agmatine biosynthetic precursor; arcaine (50 μg/mouse, i.c.v), agmatinase inhibitor; and aminoguanidine (6.5 μg/mouse, i.c.v.), a diamine oxidase inhibitor. Further, both the statins increased agmatine levels within hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Conversely, prior administration of I1 receptor antagonist, efaroxan (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and I2 receptor antagonist, idazoxan (0.25 mg/kg, i.p.) blocked the antidepressant-like effect of statins and their synergistic combination with agmatine. These results demonstrate the involvement of agmatine and imidazoline receptors in antidepressant-like effect of statins and suggest as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of depressive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandip Rahangdale
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur, M.S, 441 002, India
| | - Rajshree Fating
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur, M.S, 441 002, India
| | - Mona Gajbhiye
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur, M.S, 441 002, India
| | - Mona Kapse
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur, M.S, 441 002, India
| | - Nazma Inamdar
- Government College of Pharmacy, Kathora Naka, VMV Road, Amravati, M.S, 444604, India
| | - Nandkishor Kotagale
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur, M.S, 441 002, India; Government College of Pharmacy, Kathora Naka, VMV Road, Amravati, M.S, 444604, India
| | - Milind Umekar
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur, M.S, 441 002, India
| | - Brijesh Taksande
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur, M.S, 441 002, India.
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Tafseer S, Gupta R, Ahmad R, Jain S, Bhatia MS, Gupta LK. Bupropion monotherapy alters neurotrophic and inflammatory markers in patients of major depressive disorder. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 200:173073. [PMID: 33186562 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.173073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emerging hypotheses in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) indicate the role of neurotrophic factors and inflammation. This study assessed the association between therapeutic response of bupropion and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in patients with MDD. METHODS Thirty patients (aged 18 to 60 years) with MDD diagnosed by DSM-5 criteria, with Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HAM-D) score ≥ 20 were included in the study. Patients were given bupropion sustained release (SR) in the doses of 150 mg once daily. All patients were followed up for 12 weeks. RESULTS HAM-D score at the start of the treatment was 25.57 ± 1.85 which significantly reduced to 10.8 ± 4.24 at 12 weeks of treatment. The serum BDNF level increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 2.42 ± 0.19 ng/ml to 2.97 ± 0.10 ng/ml and the levels of serum TNF-α reduced significantly (p < 0.05) from 4.45 ± 0.95 pg/ml to 2.11 ± 0.84 pg/ml at 12 weeks of treatment, in responders to treatment. CONCLUSION The results of our study suggest that bupropion SR monotherapy is effective and well tolerated in MDD patients with moderate to severe depression, and its therapeutic efficacy is accompanied by an increase in serum BDNF levels and a decrease in serum TNF-α levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Tafseer
- Department of Pharmacology, University College of Medical Sciences & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi 110095, India
| | - Rachna Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, University College of Medical Sciences & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi 110095, India.
| | - Rafat Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi 110095, India
| | - Seema Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, University College of Medical Sciences & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi 110095, India
| | - M S Bhatia
- Department of Psychiatry, University College of Medical Sciences & Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, New Delhi 110095, India
| | - Lalit K Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, Lady Hardinge Medical College & Smt. S.K. Hospital, New Delhi, India
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The involvement of GABAergic system in the antidepressant-like effect of agmatine. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2020; 393:1931-1939. [DOI: 10.1007/s00210-020-01910-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Chimthanawala N, Patil S, Agrawal R, Kotagale NR, Umekar MJ, Taksande BG. Inhibitory influence of agmatine in ethanol withdrawal-induced depression in rats: Behavioral and neurochemical evidence. Alcohol 2020; 83:67-74. [PMID: 31520686 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Although ethanol withdrawal depression is one of the prominent reasons for ethanol consumption reinstatement and ethanol dependence, its neurochemical basis is not clearly understood. The present study investigated the role of the agmatinergic system in ethanol withdrawal-induced depression using the forced swim test (FST) in rats. Chronic exposure of animals to ethanol for 21 days and its abrupt withdrawal produced depression-like behavior, as evidenced by increased immobility time in the FST, compared to the pair-fed control animals. The ethanol withdrawal-induced depression was significantly attenuated by agmatine (20-40 μg/rat, i.c.v. [intracerebroventricularly]), moxonidine (50 μg/rat, i.c.v.), 2-BFI (20 μg/rat, i.c.v.), L-arginine (80 μg/rat, i.c.v.), amino-guanidine (25 μg/rat, i.c.v.), and arcaine (50 μg/rat, i.c.v.) by their once-daily administration during the withdrawal phase (Days 21, 22, and 23). The antidepressant effect of agmatine in ethanol-withdrawn rats was potentiated by the imidazoline receptor I1 agonist moxonidine (25 μg/rat, i.c.v.) and the imidazoline receptor I2 agonist, 2-BFI (10 μg/rat, i.c.v.) at their sub-effective doses. On the other hand, it was completely blocked by the imidazoline receptor I1 antagonist, efaroxan (10 μg/rat, i.c.v.) and the imidazoline receptor I2 antagonist, idazoxan (4 μg/rat, i.c.v.). In addition, agmatine levels were significantly reduced in brain samples of ethanol-withdrawn rats as compared to the pair-fed control animals. In conclusion, the present study suggests the importance of the endogenous agmatinergic system and the imidazoline receptors system in ethanol withdrawal-induced depression. The data project agmatine as a potential therapeutic target for the alcohol withdrawal-induced depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niyamat Chimthanawala
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar, College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur (M.S.), 441 002, India
| | - Shruti Patil
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar, College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur (M.S.), 441 002, India
| | - Rishabh Agrawal
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar, College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur (M.S.), 441 002, India
| | - Nandkishor R Kotagale
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar, College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur (M.S.), 441 002, India; Government College of Pharmacy, Amravati (M.S.), 444 604, India
| | - Milind J Umekar
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar, College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur (M.S.), 441 002, India
| | - Brijesh G Taksande
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, Smt. Kishoritai Bhoyar, College of Pharmacy, New Kamptee, Nagpur (M.S.), 441 002, India.
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Ozden A, Angelos H, Feyza A, Elizabeth W, John P. Altered plasma levels of arginine metabolites in depression. J Psychiatr Res 2020; 120:21-28. [PMID: 31629205 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
L-Arginine pathway metabolites appear to play differential roles in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). Studies have revealed an antidepressant and anxiolytic effect of agmatine and putrescine. Possible mechanisms of these effects include inhibition of nitric oxide synthase and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. The present study sought to determine whether MDD is associated with altered levels of arginine metabolites and whether these metabolites are associated with depression, anxiety and stress severity. Seventy seven MDD patients 21-65 years of age with a minimum score of 18 on the Hamilton Depression Scale, and 27 age and sex matched healthy controls (HC) were included. Patients with uncontrolled physical diseases, abnormal routine lab tests, other psychiatric diagnoses, or under psychotropic medication were excluded. HC subjects were recruited from the community. Rating instruments included Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Scales, Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventory and Perceived Stress Scale. Fasting blood was drawn between 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure plasma arginine metabolites. ADMA (Asymmetrical dimethylarginine) and putrescine were significantly lower while SDMA (Symmetric dimethylarginine), agmatine and ornithine were significantly higher in MDD patients (p˂0.05). Depression, anxiety and stress severity were negatively correlated with ADMA and putrescine (p˂0.05). Stress was positively correlated with citrulline, NOHA (N-omega-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine), SDMA, agmatine and ornithine (p˂0.05). Lower putrescine levels predicted depression diagnosis (p = 0.039) and depression severity (p = 0.003). Low ADMA level predicted depression severity as well. Arginine pathway metabolites are associated with the pathophysiology of depression. Putrescine may be a biomarker to predict MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arisoy Ozden
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University Medical Faculty, Bolu, Turkey
| | - Halaris Angelos
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA.
| | - Aricioglu Feyza
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Marmara University, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Wild Elizabeth
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA; Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport, Department of Neurosurgery, USA
| | - Piletz John
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA; Department of Biology, Missisipi College, Jackson, Missisipi, USA
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Sahin Ozkartal C, Tuzun E, Kucukali CI, Ulusoy C, Giris M, Aricioglu F. Antidepressant-like effects of agmatine and NOS inhibitors in chronic unpredictable mild stress model of depression in rats: The involvement of NLRP inflammasomes. Brain Res 2019; 1725:146438. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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15
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The antidepressant-like effect of guanosine is dependent on GSK-3β inhibition and activation of MAPK/ERK and Nrf2/heme oxygenase-1 signaling pathways. Purinergic Signal 2019; 15:491-504. [PMID: 31768875 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-019-09681-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although guanosine is an endogenous nucleoside that displays antidepressant-like properties in several animal models, the mechanism underlying its antidepressant-like effects is not well characterized. The present study aimed at investigating the involvement of ERK/GSK-3β and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways in the antidepressant-like effect of guanosine in the mouse tail suspension test (TST). The immobility time in the TST was taken as an indicative of antidepressant-like responses and the locomotor activity was assessed in the open-field test. Biochemical analyses were performed by Western blotting in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). The combined treatment with sub-effective doses of guanosine (0.01 mg/kg, p.o.) and lithium chloride (a non-selective GSK-3β inhibitor, 10 mg/kg, p.o.) or AR-A014418 (selective GSK-3β inhibitor, 0.01 μg/site, i.c.v.) produced a synergistic antidepressant-like effect in the TST. The antidepressant-like effect of guanosine (0.05 mg/kg, p.o.) was completely prevented by the treatment with MEK1/2 inhibitors U0126 (5 μg/site, i.c.v.), PD98059 (5 μg/site, i.c.v.), or zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP) (HO-1 inhibitor, 10 μg/site, i.c.v). Guanosine administration (0.05 mg/kg, p.o.) increased the immunocontent of β-catenin in the nuclear fraction and Nrf2 in the cytosolic fraction in the hippocampus and PFC. The immunocontent of HO-1 was also increased in the hippocampus and PFC. Altogether, the results provide evidence that the antidepressant-like effect of guanosine in the TST involves the inhibition of GSK-3β, as well as activation of MAPK/ERK and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways, highlighting the relevance of these molecular targets for antidepressant responses.
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Bergin DH, Jing Y, Williams G, Mockett BG, Zhang H, Abraham WC, Liu P. Safety and neurochemical profiles of acute and sub-chronic oral treatment with agmatine sulfate. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12669. [PMID: 31481723 PMCID: PMC6722093 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49078-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Agmatine (decarboxylated arginine) exerts numerous central nervous system (CNS) dependent pharmacological effects and may potentially modulate altered neurochemistry seen in neurological disorders. In preclinical studies, injection has been the predominant route of systemic administration. However, a significant translational step would be the use of oral agmatine treatment at therapeutic doses and better understanding of L-arginine metabolic profiles in the CNS post-treatment. The present study systematically investigated the tolerability, safety and brain-plasma neurochemistry following daily oral agmatine sulfate treatment (via gavage) to wild-type (WT) mice up to 900 mg/kg for one week (Experiment 1) or WT and APPswe/PS1ΔE9 transgenic (Tg) mice at 300 mg/kg for fifteen weeks (Experiment 2). Agmatine treatment in both experiments was well tolerated with no marked behavioural impairments, and gross necropsy and organ histology revealed no pathological alterations after 15-week dosing. Moreover, oral treatment increased agmatine levels in the hippocampus and plasma of WT mice (Experiment 1), and in 6 brain regions examined (but not plasma) of WT and Tg mice (Experiment 2), at 30 minutes or 24 hours post-treatment respectively. This study provides fundamental pre-clinical evidence that daily oral delivery of agmatine sulfate to both WT and Tg mice is safe and well tolerated. Exogenous agmatine passes through the blood brain barrier and accumulates in the brain to a greater extent in Tg mice. Furthermore exogenous agmatine has differential actions in the brain and periphery, and its effect on brain putrescine appears to be dependent on the time post-treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Bergin
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brain Health Research Centre, Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.,School of Pharmacy, Brain Health Research Centre, Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Yu Jing
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brain Health Research Centre, Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Gail Williams
- Department of Pathology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Bruce G Mockett
- Department of Psychology, Brain Health Research Centre, Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Hu Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Brain Health Research Centre, Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Wickliffe C Abraham
- Department of Psychology, Brain Health Research Centre, Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Ping Liu
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, Brain Health Research Centre, Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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17
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Ghasemi M. Nitric oxide: Antidepressant mechanisms and inflammation. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2019; 86:121-152. [PMID: 31378250 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2019.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Millions of individuals worldwide suffers from mood disorders, especially major depressive disorder (MDD), which has a high rate of disease burden in society. Although targeting the biogenic amines including serotonin, and norepinephrine have provided invaluable links with the pharmacological treatment of MDD over the last four decades, a growing body of evidence suggest that other biologic systems could contribute to the pathophysiology and treatment of MDD. In this chapter, we highlight the potential role of nitric oxide (NO) signaling in the pathophysiology and thereby treatment of MDD. This has been investigated over the last four decades by showing that (i) levels of NO are altered in patients with major depression; (ii) modulators of NO signaling exert antidepressant effects in patients with MDD or in the animal studies; (iii) NO signaling could be targeted by a variety of antidepressants in animal models of depression; and (iv) NO signaling can potentially modulate the inflammatory pathways that underlie the pathophysiology of MDD. These findings, which hypothesize an NO involvement in MDD, can provide a new insight into novel therapeutic approaches for patients with MDD in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Ghasemi
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts and General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
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18
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Watts D, Pfaffenseller B, Wollenhaupt-Aguiar B, Paul Géa L, Cardoso TDA, Kapczinski F. Agmatine as a potential therapeutic intervention in bipolar depression: the preclinical landscape. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2019; 23:327-339. [DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2019.1581764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Devon Watts
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Bianca Pfaffenseller
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | | | - Luiza Paul Géa
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Flavio Kapczinski
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Abstract
Suicide is the second leading cause of death worldwide for adolescents. Despite decades of research on correlates and risk factors for adolescent suicide, we know little about why suicidal ideation and behavior frequently emerge in adolescence and how to predict, and ultimately prevent, suicidal behavior among youths. In this review, we first discuss knowledge regarding correlates, risk factors, and theories of suicide. We then review why adolescence is a period of unique vulnerability, given changing biology and social network reorganization. Next, we present a conceptual model through which to interpret emerging findings in adolescent suicide research. We suggest that a promising area for future research is to examine adolescent suicide as a failure of biological responses to acute stress in the proximal moments of a suicidal crisis. After reviewing initial evidence for this conceptualization, we review future directions for studies on adolescent suicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Bryant Miller
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA; ,
| | - Mitchell J Prinstein
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA; ,
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20
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Imipramine treatment reverses depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors, normalize adrenocorticotropic hormone, and reduces interleukin-1β in the brain of rats subjected to experimental periapical lesion. Pharmacol Rep 2019; 71:24-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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21
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Camargo A, Rodrigues ALS. Novel Targets for Fast Antidepressant Responses: Possible Role of Endogenous Neuromodulators. CHRONIC STRESS (THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.) 2019; 3:2470547019858083. [PMID: 32440595 PMCID: PMC7219953 DOI: 10.1177/2470547019858083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The available medications for the treatment of major depressive disorder have limitations, particularly their limited efficacy, delayed therapeutic effects, and the side effects associated with treatment. These issues highlight the need for better therapeutic agents that provide more efficacious and faster effects for the management of this disorder. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, is the prototype for novel glutamate-based antidepressants that has been shown to cause a rapid and sustained antidepressant effect even in severe refractory depressive patients. Considering the importance of these findings, several studies have been conducted to elucidate the molecular targets for ketamine's effect. In addition, efforts are under way to characterize ketamine-like drugs. This review focuses particularly on evidence that endogenous glutamatergic neuromodulators may be able to modulate mood and to elicit fast antidepressant responses. Among these molecules, agmatine and creatine stand out as those with more published evidence of similarities with ketamine, but guanosine and ascorbic acid have also provided promising results. The possibility that these neuromodulators and ketamine have common neurobiological mechanisms, mainly the ability to activate mechanistic target of rapamycin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling, and synthesis of synaptic proteins in the prefrontal cortex and/or hippocampus is presented and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson Camargo
- Neuroscience Postgraduate Program,
Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina,
Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia S. Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of
Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis,
Brazil
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22
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Neis VB, Bettio LB, Moretti M, Rosa PB, Olescowicz G, Fraga DB, Gonçalves FM, Freitas AE, Heinrich IA, Lopes MW, Leal RB, Rodrigues ALS. Single administration of agmatine reverses the depressive-like behavior induced by corticosterone in mice: Comparison with ketamine and fluoxetine. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2018; 173:44-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2018.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2018] [Revised: 08/11/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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23
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Gong X, Chen Y, Chang J, Huang Y, Cai M, Zhang M. Environmental enrichment reduces adolescent anxiety- and depression-like behaviors of rats subjected to infant nerve injury. J Neuroinflammation 2018; 15:262. [PMID: 30208926 PMCID: PMC6134705 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-018-1301-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Infant nerve injury causes delayed adolescent neuropathic pain, but whether it also leads to psychiatric illness is unknown. Environmental enrichment (EE) increases social communication and activity. Thus, our goal was to test anxiety- and depression-like behaviors after infant peripheral nerve injury and evaluate the effect of environmental enrichment on these models of affective disorders. Methods Open field, elevated plus maze, sucrose preference, and pain behaviors (paw withdrawal threshold, spontaneous guarding score, and cold response to acetone) were measured in rats that received infant spared nerve injury (SNI). Enzyme-linked immune absorbent assay of cytokines was performed to evaluate the inflammatory response in the brain. Then, the ability of intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of a microglia inhibitor, minocycline (MIN), and EE (a free-running wheel, a staircase, a plastic tunnel, a raised platform, and various colored balls) to reverse the infant SNI effects on behaviors and cytokines was examined. Results Infant nerve injury resulted in adolescent anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. The medial prefrontal cortex, basolateral amygdala, and ventral hippocampus were skewed to a pro-inflammatory profile. ICV injection of MIN reduced anxiety- and depression-like behaviors without affecting pain behaviors. In addition, ICV MIN skewed the brain towards an anti-inflammatory profile. Finally, environmental enrichment improved anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, as well as pain behaviors. EE increased brain IL-10 and decreased IL-1β and TNF-α. Conclusions Infant nerve injury induces adolescent anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and central nervous inflammation. Environmental enrichment reduces these behaviors by normalizing the inflammation balance in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingrui Gong
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1678 Dongfang Road, 200127, Shanghai, China.,Department of Anesthesiology, Shiyan Taihe Hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Medicine), Shiyan, Hubei, China.,Institute of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Shiyan Taihe Hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Medicine), Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Yongmei Chen
- Department of Laboratory, Shiyan Taihe Hospital (Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Medicine), Shiyan, Hubei, China
| | - Jing Chang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1678 Dongfang Road, 200127, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1678 Dongfang Road, 200127, Shanghai, China
| | - Meihau Cai
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1678 Dongfang Road, 200127, Shanghai, China
| | - Mazhong Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 1678 Dongfang Road, 200127, Shanghai, China.
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Tavares MK, dos Reis S, Platt N, Heinrich IA, Wolin IA, Leal RB, Kaster MP, Rodrigues ALS, Freitas AE. Agmatine potentiates neuroprotective effects of subthreshold concentrations of ketamine via mTOR/S6 kinase signaling pathway. Neurochem Int 2018; 118:275-285. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2018.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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25
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Chen GG, Almeida D, Fiori L, Turecki G. Evidence of Reduced Agmatine Concentrations in the Cerebral Cortex of Suicides. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 21:895-900. [PMID: 29986038 PMCID: PMC6165952 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The polyamines are a group of ubiquitous low-molecular-weight aliphatic molecules that play an essential role in various physiological functions of the mammalian CNS. Previous literature has indicated alterations in the expression of polyamine-related genes in the brains of individuals who died by suicide, including downregulation of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase, a key enzyme involved in polyamine catabolism. One such polyamine, agmatine, has been shown to act as an antidepressant in animal models of depressive-like behavior. However, agmatine concentrations have not been explored in postmortem human brain of individuals who died by suicide. METHODS To measure agmatine in postmortem human brain tissue, we employed our previously published high-resolution capillary gas chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry method. Using this method, we analyzed agmatine levels in a total of 120 tissue samples from Brodmann areas 4, 11, and 44 of 40 male subjects comprising controls (n=13), individuals who died by suicide and met criteria for major depressive disorder (n=14), and subjects who died by suicide and did not meet criteria for major depressive disorder (n=13). RESULTS Agmatine fell within the expected nanomolar range and was significantly reduced in the cortex of suicides, irrespective of meeting criteria for major depressive disorder compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS This is the first gas chromatography-mass spectrometry study to analyze agmatine concentrations in human postmortem brain of individuals who died by suicide. These results add to our mechanistic understanding of the role that the polyamine stress response pathway may play in the neurobiology of major depression and/or suicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary G Chen
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - Daniel Almeida
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - Laura Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Hospital Research Center, Verdun, QC, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada,Correspondence: Gustavo Turecki, MD, PhD, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Frank B Common Pavilion, Room F-3125, 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3 ()
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26
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Ghasemi M, Claunch J, Niu K. Pathologic role of nitrergic neurotransmission in mood disorders. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 173:54-87. [PMID: 29890213 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Mood disorders are chronic, recurrent mental diseases that affect millions of individuals worldwide. Although over the past 40 years the biogenic amine models have provided meaningful links with the clinical phenomena of, and the pharmacological treatments currently employed in, mood disorders, there is still a need to examine the contribution of other systems to the neurobiology and treatment of mood disorders. This article reviews the current literature describing the potential role of nitric oxide (NO) signaling in the pathophysiology and thereby the treatment of mood disorders. The hypothesis has arisen from several observations including (i) altered NO levels in patients with mood disorders; (ii) antidepressant effects of NO signaling blockers in both clinical and pre-clinical studies; (iii) interaction between conventional antidepressants/mood stabilizers and NO signaling modulators in several biochemical and behavioral studies; (iv) biochemical and physiological evidence of interaction between monoaminergic (serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine) system and NO signaling; (v) interaction between neurotrophic factors and NO signaling in mood regulation and neuroprotection; and finally (vi) a crucial role for NO signaling in the inflammatory processes involved in pathophysiology of mood disorders. These accumulating lines of evidence have provided a new insight into novel approaches for the treatment of mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Ghasemi
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA.
| | - Joshua Claunch
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Kathy Niu
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
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Olescowicz G, Neis VB, Fraga DB, Rosa PB, Azevedo DP, Melleu FF, Brocardo PS, Gil-Mohapel J, Rodrigues ALS. Antidepressant and pro-neurogenic effects of agmatine in a mouse model of stress induced by chronic exposure to corticosterone. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 81:395-407. [PMID: 28842257 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Revised: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Agmatine is an endogenous neuromodulator that has been shown to have beneficial effects in the central nervous system, including antidepressant-like effects in animals. In this study, we investigated the ability of agmatine (0.1mg/kg, p.o.) and the conventional antidepressant fluoxetine (10mg/kg, p.o.) to reverse the behavioral effects and morphological alterations in the hippocampus of mice exposed to chronic corticosterone (20mg/kg, p.o.) treatment for a period of 21days as a model of stress and depressive-like behaviors. Chronic corticosterone treatment increased the immobility time in the tail suspension test (TST), but did not cause anhedonic-like and anxiety-related behaviors, as assessed with the splash test and the open field test (OFT), respectively. Of note, the depressive-like behaviors induced by corticosterone were accompanied by a decrease in hippocampal cell proliferation, although no changes in hippocampal neuronal differentiation were observed. Our findings provide evidence that, similarly to fluoxetine, agmatine was able to reverse the corticosterone-induced depressive-like behaviors in the TST as well as the deficits in hippocampal cell proliferation. Additionally, fluoxetine but not agmatine, increased hippocampal differentiation. Agmatine, similar to fluoxetine, was capable of increasing both dendritic arborization and length in the entire dentate hippocampus, an effect more evident in the ventral portion of the hippocampus, as assessed with the modified Sholl analysis. Altogether, our results suggest that the increase in hippocampal proliferation induced by agmatine may contribute, at least in part, to the antidepressant-like response of this compound in this mouse model of stress induced by chronic exposure to corticosterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gislaine Olescowicz
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Vivian B Neis
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Daiane B Fraga
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Priscila B Rosa
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Dayane P Azevedo
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Fernando Falkenburger Melleu
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Patricia S Brocardo
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Joana Gil-Mohapel
- Division of Medical Sciences, UBC Island Medical Program, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ana Lúcia S Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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Evidence for the involvement of opioid system in the antidepressant-like effect of ascorbic acid. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2017; 391:169-176. [PMID: 29222646 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-017-1446-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Considering the involvement of the opioid system in major depressive disorder (MDD), mainly concerning refractory MDD, and the evidence that ascorbic acid may exert a beneficial effect for the treatment of this disorder, this study investigated the involvement of the opioid system in the antidepressant-like effect of ascorbic acid in the tail suspension test (TST). Treatment of Swiss mice with the non-selective opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (1 mg/kg, i.p.) prevented the reduced immobility time caused by ascorbic acid (1 mg/kg, p.o.) in the TST. Additionally, administration of the selective μ1-opioid receptor antagonist, naloxonazine (10 mg/kg, i.p.), also abolished the antidepressant-like action of the same dose of ascorbic acid in the TST. We also investigated the possible relationship between the opioid system and NMDA receptors in the mechanism of action of ascorbic acid or ketamine (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) in the TST. Treatment of mice with naloxone (1 mg/kg, i.p.) blocked the synergistic antidepressant-like effect of ascorbic acid (0.1 mg/kg. p.o.) and MK-801 (0.001 mg/kg, p.o., a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist) in the TST. Combined administration of ketamine and MK-801 induced a synergistic antidepressant-like action, and naloxone partially abolished this effect. Our results indicate that the antidepressant-like effect of ascorbic acid in the TST appears to be dependent on the activation of the opioid system, especially μ1-opioid receptors, which might be an indirect consequence of NMDA receptor inhibition elicited by ascorbic acid administration.
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Lutz PE, Mechawar N, Turecki G. Neuropathology of suicide: recent findings and future directions. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:1395-1412. [PMID: 28696430 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 05/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Suicide is a major public health concern and a leading cause of death in most societies. Suicidal behaviour is complex and heterogeneous, likely resulting from several causes. It associates with multiple factors, including psychopathology, personality traits, early-life adversity and stressful life events, among others. Over the past decades, studies in fields ranging from neuroanatomy, genetics and molecular psychiatry have led to a model whereby behavioural dysregulation, including suicidal behaviour (SB), develops as a function of biological adaptations in key brain systems. More recently, the unravelling of the unique epigenetic processes that occur in the brain has opened promising avenues in suicide research. The present review explores the various facets of the current knowledge on suicidality and discusses how the rapidly evolving field of neurobehavioural epigenetics may fuel our ability to understand, and potentially prevent, SB.
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Affiliation(s)
- P-E Lutz
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - N Mechawar
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - G Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Neis VB, Rosa PB, Olescowicz G, Rodrigues ALS. Therapeutic potential of agmatine for CNS disorders. Neurochem Int 2017; 108:318-331. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2017.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 05/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Agmatine: multifunctional arginine metabolite and magic bullet in clinical neuroscience? Biochem J 2017; 474:2619-2640. [DOI: 10.1042/bcj20170007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Agmatine, the decarboxylation product of arginine, was largely neglected as an important player in mammalian metabolism until the mid-1990s, when it was re-discovered as an endogenous ligand of imidazoline and α2-adrenergic receptors. Since then, a wide variety of agmatine-mediated effects have been observed, and consequently agmatine has moved from a wallflower existence into the limelight of clinical neuroscience research. Despite this quantum jump in scientific interest, the understanding of the anabolism and catabolism of this amine is still vague. The purification and biochemical characterization of natural mammalian arginine decarboxylase and agmatinase still are open issues. Nevertheless, the agmatinergic system is currently one of the most promising candidates in order to pharmacologically interfere with some major diseases of the central nervous system, which are summarized in the present review. Particularly with respect to major depression, agmatine, its derivatives, and metabolizing enzymes show great promise for the development of an improved treatment of this common disease.
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Taksande BG, Gawande DY, Chopde CT, Umekar MJ, Kotagale NR. Agmatine ameliorates adjuvant induced arthritis and inflammatory cachexia in rats. Biomed Pharmacother 2017; 86:271-278. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2016.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
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Freitas AE, Neis VB, Rodrigues ALS. Agmatine, a potential novel therapeutic strategy for depression. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2016; 26:1885-1899. [PMID: 27836390 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2016.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is the most common psychiatric disorder with lifetime prevalence of up to 20% worldwide. It is responsible for more years lost to disability than any other disorder. Despite the fact that current available antidepressant drugs are safe and effective, they are far from ideal. In addition to the need to administer the drugs for weeks or months to obtain clinical benefit, side effects are still a serious problem. Agmatine is an endogenous polyamine synthesized by the enzyme arginine decarboxylase. It modulates several receptors and is considered as a neuromodulator in the brain. In this review, studies demonstrating the antidepressant effects of agmatine are presented and discussed, as well as, the mechanisms of action related to these effects. Also, the potential beneficial effects of agmatine for the treatment of other neurological disorders are presented. In particular, we provide evidence to encourage future clinical studies investigating agmatine as a novel antidepressant drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andiara E Freitas
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
| | - Vivian B Neis
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia S Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
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Neis VB, Bettio LEB, Moretti M, Rosa PB, Ribeiro CM, Freitas AE, Gonçalves FM, Leal RB, Rodrigues ALS. Acute agmatine administration, similar to ketamine, reverses depressive-like behavior induced by chronic unpredictable stress in mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2016; 150-151:108-114. [PMID: 27743829 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2016.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Agmatine is an endogenous neuromodulator that has been shown to have antidepressant-like properties. We have previously demonstrated that it can induce a rapid increase in BDNF levels after acute administration, suggesting that agmatine may be a fast-acting antidepressant. To investigate this hypothesis, the present study evaluated the effects of a single administration of agmatine in mice subjected to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS), a model of depression responsive only to chronic treatment with conventional antidepressants. The ability of agmatine to reverse CUS-induced behavioral and biochemical alterations was evaluated and compared with those elicited by the fast-acting antidepressant (ketamine) and the conventional antidepressant (fluoxetine). After exposed to CUS for 14days, mice received a single oral dose of agmatine (0.1mg/kg), ketamine (1mg/kg) or fluoxetine (10mg/kg), and were submitted to behavioral evaluation after 24h. The exposure to CUS caused an increased immobility time in the tail suspension test (TST) but did not change anhedonic-related parameters in the splash test. Our findings provided evidence that, similarly to ketamine, agmatine is able to reverse CUS-induced depressive-like behavior in the TST. Western blot analyses of prefrontal cortex (PFC) demonstrated that mice exposed to CUS and/or treated with agmatine, fluoxetine or ketamine did not present alterations in the immunocontent of synaptic proteins [i.e. GluA1, postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) and synapsin]. Altogether, our findings indicate that a single administration of agmatine is able to reverse behavioral alterations induced by CUS in the TST, suggesting that this compound may have fast-acting antidepressant-like properties. However, there was no alteration in the levels of synaptic proteins in the PFC, a result that need to be further investigated in other time points.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian B Neis
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Luis E B Bettio
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Morgana Moretti
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Post-Graduate Nutrition Program, Center of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Priscila B Rosa
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Camille M Ribeiro
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Andiara E Freitas
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Filipe M Gonçalves
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo B Leal
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia S Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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35
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Cunha AS, Matheus FC, Moretti M, Sampaio TB, Poli A, Santos DB, Colle D, Cunha MP, Blum-Silva CH, Sandjo LP, Reginatto FH, Rodrigues ALS, Farina M, Prediger RD. Agmatine attenuates reserpine-induced oral dyskinesia in mice: Role of oxidative stress, nitric oxide and glutamate NMDA receptors. Behav Brain Res 2016; 312:64-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Agmatine Reduces Lipopolysaccharide-Mediated Oxidant Response via Activating PI3K/Akt Pathway and Up-Regulating Nrf2 and HO-1 Expression in Macrophages. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163634. [PMID: 27685463 PMCID: PMC5042521 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophages are key responders of inflammation and are closely related with oxidative stress. Activated macrophages can enhance oxygen depletion, which causes an overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and leads to further excessive inflammatory response and tissue damage. Agmatine, an endogenous metabolite of L-arginine, has recently been shown to have neuroprotective effects based on its antioxidant properties. However, the antioxidant effects of agmatine in peripheral tissues and cells, especially macrophages, remain unclear. In this study we explored the role of agmatine in mediating antioxidant effects in RAW 264.7 cells and studied its antioxidant mechanism. Our data demonstrate that agmatine is an activator of Nrf2 signaling that markedly enhances Nrf2 nuclear translocation, increases nuclear Nrf2 protein level, up-regulates the expression of the Nrf2 downstream effector HO-1, and attenuates ROS generation induced by Lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We further demonstrated that the agmatine-induced activation of Nrf2 is likely through the PI3K/Akt pathway. LY294002, a specific PI3K/Akt inhibitor, abolished agmatine-induced HO-1 up-regulation and ROS suppression significantly. Inhibiting HO-1 pathway significantly attenuated the antioxidant effect of agmatine which the products of HO-1 enzymatic activity contributed to. Furthermore, the common membrane receptors of agmatine were evaluated, revealing that α2-adrenoceptor, I1-imidazoline receptor or I2-imidazoline receptor are not required by the antioxidant properties of agmatine. Taken together, our findings revealed that agmatine has antioxidant activity against LPS-induced ROS accumulation in RAW 264.7 cells involving HO-1 expression induced by Nrf2 via PI3K/Akt pathway activation.
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Zhang X, Wang Q, Wang Y, Hu J, Jiang H, Cheng W, Ma Y, Liu M, Sun A, Zhang X, Li X. Duloxetine prevents the effects of prenatal stress on depressive‐like and anxiety‐like behavior and hippocampal expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in adult male offspring rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2016; 55:41-48. [PMID: 27637928 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2016.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosong Zhang
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Applied Psychology, China Medical UniversityPR China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Psychiatrythe First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical UniversityPR China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Psychiatrythe First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical UniversityPR China
| | - Jingmin Hu
- Essential Qualities Oriented Education College, Liaoning Finance Vocational CollegePR China
| | - Han Jiang
- Department of Psychiatrythe First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical UniversityPR China
| | - Wenwen Cheng
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Applied Psychology, China Medical UniversityPR China
| | - Yuchao Ma
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Applied Psychology, China Medical UniversityPR China
| | - Mengxi Liu
- Department of Psychiatrythe First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical UniversityPR China
| | - Anji Sun
- Department of Psychiatrythe First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical UniversityPR China
| | - Xinxin Zhang
- Department of Psychiatrythe First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical UniversityPR China
| | - Xiaobai Li
- Department of Psychiatrythe First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical UniversityPR China
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38
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Fiore NT, Austin PJ. Are the emergence of affective disturbances in neuropathic pain states contingent on supraspinal neuroinflammation? Brain Behav Immun 2016; 56:397-411. [PMID: 27118632 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuro-immune interactions contribute to the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain due to peripheral nerve injury. A large body of preclinical evidence supports the idea that the immune system acts to modulate the sensory symptoms of neuropathy at both peripheral and central nervous system sites. The potential involvement of neuro-immune interactions in the highly debilitating affective disturbances of neuropathic pain, such as depression, anhedonia, impaired cognition and reduced motivation has received little attention. This is surprising given the widely accepted view that sickness behaviour, depression, cognitive impairment and other neuropsychiatric conditions can arise from inflammatory mechanisms. Moreover, there is a set of well-described immune-to-brain transmission mechanisms that explain how peripheral inflammation can lead to supraspinal neuroinflammation. In the last 5years increasing evidence has emerged that peripheral nerve injury induces supraspinal changes in cytokine or chemokine expression and alters glial cell activity. In this systematic review, based on strong preclinical evidence, we advance the argument that the emergence of affective disturbances in neuropathic pain states are contingent on pro-inflammatory mediators in the interconnected hippocampal-medial prefrontal circuitry that subserve affective behaviours. We explore how dysregulation of inflammatory mediators in these networks may result in affective disturbances through a wide variety of neuromodulatory mechanisms. There are also promising results from clinical trials showing that anti-inflammatory agents have efficacy in the treatment of a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions including depression and appear suited to sub-groups of patients with elevated pro-inflammatory profiles. Thus, although further research is required, aggressively targeting supraspinal pro-inflammatory mediators at critical time-points in appropriate clinical populations is likely to be a novel avenue to treat debilitating affective disturbances in neuropathic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan T Fiore
- Discipline of Anatomy & Histology, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Paul J Austin
- Discipline of Anatomy & Histology, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
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Neis VB, Moretti M, Bettio LEB, Ribeiro CM, Rosa PB, Gonçalves FM, Lopes MW, Leal RB, Rodrigues ALS. Agmatine produces antidepressant-like effects by activating AMPA receptors and mTOR signaling. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2016; 26:959-71. [PMID: 27061850 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2016.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Revised: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The activation of AMPA receptors and mTOR signaling has been reported as mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effects of fast-acting agents, specially the NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine. In the present study, oral administration of agmatine (0.1mg/kg), a neuromodulator that has been reported to modulate NMDA receptors, caused a significant reduction in the immobility time of mice submitted to the tail suspension test (TST), an effect prevented by the administration of DNQX (AMPA receptor antagonist, 2.5μg/site, i.c.v.), BDNF antibody (1μg/site, i.c.v.), K-252a (TrkB receptor antagonist, 1μg/site, i.c.v.), LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor, 10nmol/site, i.c.v.) or rapamycin (selective mTOR inhibitor, 0.2nmol/site, i.c.v.). Moreover, the administration of lithium chloride (non-selective GSK-3β inhibitor, 10mg/kg, p.o.) or AR-A014418 (selective GSK-3β inhibitor, 0.01μg/site, i.c.v.) in combination with a sub-effective dose of agmatine (0.0001mg/kg, p.o.) reduced the immobility time in the TST when compared with either drug alone. Furthermore, increased immunocontents of BDNF, PSD-95 and GluA1 were found in the prefrontal cortex of mice just 1h after agmatine administration. These results indicate that the antidepressant-like effect of agmatine in the TST may be dependent on the activation of AMPA and TrkB receptors, PI3K and mTOR signaling as well as inhibition of GSK-3β, and increase in synaptic proteins. The results contribute to elucidate the complex signaling pathways involved in the antidepressant effect of agmatine and reinforce the pivotal role of these molecular targets for antidepressant responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Binder Neis
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Morgana Moretti
- Post-Graduate Nutrition Program, Center of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Luis Eduardo B Bettio
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Camille M Ribeiro
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Priscila Batista Rosa
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Filipe Marques Gonçalves
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Mark William Lopes
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Bainy Leal
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia S Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
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40
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Ma K, Zhang H, Baloch Z. Pathogenetic and Therapeutic Applications of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) in Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17050733. [PMID: 27187381 PMCID: PMC4881555 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17050733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by mood, vegetative, cognitive, and even psychotic symptoms and signs that can cause substantial impairments in quality of life and functioning. Up to now, the exact pathogenesis of MDD remains poorly understood. Recent research has begun to reveal that the pro-inflammatory cytokines, particularly, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), play an integral role in the pathophysiology of depressive disorders and the mechanism of antidepressant treatment. On the base of several observations: it is found that subsets of MDD patients have enhanced plasma levels TNF-α; antidepressant treatments had linked with the decline of TNF-α; central administration of TNF-α gives rise to sickness behavior which shares features with depression; and a blockade of it can ameliorate depressive symptomatology in animal models and clinical trials. In this review article, we focus on recent evidence linking TNF-α and MDD looking at data from animal and clinical studies, illustrating the pathophysiological role, susceptibility and its therapeutic application in depression. We conclude by discussing future directions for research, in particular the opportunities for the development of novel therapeutics that target TNF-α. This will be very important for designing preventative strategies and for the identification of new drug targets and preventative strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Ma
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China.
| | - Hongxiu Zhang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
| | - Zulqarnain Baloch
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
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Sahin C, Albayrak O, Akdeniz TF, Akbulut Z, Yanikkaya Demirel G, Aricioglu F. Agmatine Reverses Sub-chronic Stress induced Nod-like Receptor Protein 3 (NLRP3) Activation and Cytokine Response in Rats. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2016; 119:367-75. [DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.12604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ceren Sahin
- Department of Pharmacology and Psychopharmacology Research Unit; Faculty of Pharmacy; Marmara University; Istanbul Turkey
| | - Ozgur Albayrak
- Department of Immunology; Faculty of Medicine; Yeditepe University; Istanbul Turkey
| | - Tuğba F. Akdeniz
- Department of Immunology; Faculty of Medicine; Yeditepe University; Istanbul Turkey
| | - Zeynep Akbulut
- Department of Immunology; Faculty of Medicine; Yeditepe University; Istanbul Turkey
| | | | - Feyza Aricioglu
- Department of Pharmacology and Psychopharmacology Research Unit; Faculty of Pharmacy; Marmara University; Istanbul Turkey
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Kurosawa N, Shimizu K, Seki K. The development of depression-like behavior is consolidated by IL-6-induced activation of locus coeruleus neurons and IL-1β-induced elevated leptin levels in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:1725-37. [PMID: 26385227 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4084-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Many studies have supported the cytokine hypothesis as the underlying pathophysiology of depressive disorder. OBJECTIVES We previously reported that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression-like behavior is abrogated by the α1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin. Since cytokines are involved in LPS effects on the brain, we investigated the effects of cytokines on noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) and whether central α1-adrenoceptors can cause the development of depression-like behavior. METHODS Adult male CD1 mice were treated with LPS (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline and sacrificed 2 h later for immunofluorescence studies of c-fos and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in LC neurons. Serum cytokines were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Another group of mice were implanted with intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) cannulae and given artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (control), interleukin (IL)-1β (0.5 μg), IL-6 (1 μg), or tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (1 μg), and sacrificed 2 h later for c-fos and TH immunofluorescence analysis. Serum samples were analyzed for leptin levels. In addition, tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST), and sucrose preference (SP) test were conducted in a separate group of mice treated i.c.v. with cytokines, recombinant mouse leptin (5 μg) or phenylephrine (40 μg). These effects were countered by i.c.v. administration of prazosin and a leptin antagonist. RESULTS LPS increased c-fos expression in TH-positive neurons. Central administration of IL-6 and IL-1β increased c-fos immunoreactivity and serum leptin levels. Phenylephrine, an α1-adrenoceptor agonist, given i.c.v., increased the immobility time during FST and decreased SP, but had no effect on TST. Central leptin administration increased immobility time during FST but did not affect TST or SP. The combination of phenylephrine and leptin increased immobility time during FST and TST, and decreased SP. Induction of depression-like behavior by co-administration of IL-1β and IL-6 was prevented by pretreatment with prazosin alone. CONCLUSION These results suggest that IL-6-dependent LC neuronal activation induced depression-like behavior and IL-1β-induced increase in leptin levels enhanced α1-adrenoceptor-mediated depression-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsuki Kurosawa
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Ohu University, 31-1 Misumido, Tomitamachi, Koriyama, Fukushima, 963-8611, Japan
| | - Koh Shimizu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Ohu University, 31-1 Misumido, Tomitamachi, Koriyama, Fukushima, 963-8611, Japan
| | - Kenjiro Seki
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Ohu University, 31-1 Misumido, Tomitamachi, Koriyama, Fukushima, 963-8611, Japan.
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El-Kashef DH, El-Kenawi AE, Rahim MA, Suddek GM, Salem HA. Agmatine improves renal function in gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2016; 94:278-86. [DOI: 10.1139/cjpp-2015-0321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The present study was designed to explore the possible protective effects of agmatine, a known nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. For this purpose, we quantitatively evaluated gentamicin-induced renal structural and functional alterations using histopathological and biochemical approaches. Furthermore, the effect of agmatine on gentamicin-induced hypersensitivity of urinary bladder rings to acetylcholine (ACh) was evaluated. Twenty-four male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely control, gentamicin (100 mg/kg, i.p.), and gentamicin plus agmatine (40 mg/kg, orally). At the end of the study, all rats were sacrificed and then blood and urine samples and kidneys were taken. Administration of agmatine significantly decreased kidney/body mass ratio, serum creatinine, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), renal malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), NO, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) while it significantly increased creatinine clearance and renal superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity when compared with the gentamicin-treated group. Additionally, agmatine ameliorated tissue morphology as evidenced by histological evaluation and reduced the responses of isolated bladder rings to ACh. Our study indicates that agmatine administration with gentamicin attenuates oxidative-stress associated renal injury by reducing oxygen free radicals and lipid peroxidation, restoring NO level and inhibiting inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia H. El-Kashef
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Asmaa E. El-Kenawi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Mona Abdel Rahim
- Urology and Nephrology Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Ghada M. Suddek
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Hatem A. Salem
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
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Maldonado-Bouchard S, Peters K, Woller SA, Madahian B, Faghihi U, Patel S, Bake S, Hook MA. Inflammation is increased with anxiety- and depression-like signs in a rat model of spinal cord injury. Brain Behav Immun 2016; 51:176-195. [PMID: 26296565 PMCID: PMC4679693 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/07/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to increased anxiety and depression in as many as 60% of patients. Yet, despite extensive clinical research focused on understanding the variables influencing psychological well-being following SCI, risk factors that decrease it remain unclear. We hypothesized that excitation of the immune system, inherent to SCI, may contribute to the decrease in psychological well-being. To test this hypothesis, we used a battery of established behavioral tests to assess depression and anxiety in spinally contused rats. The behavioral tests, and subsequent statistical analyses, revealed three cohorts of subjects that displayed behavioral characteristics of (1) depression, (2) depression and anxiety, or (3) no signs of decreased psychological well-being. Subsequent molecular analyses demonstrated that the psychological cohorts differed not only in behavioral symptoms, but also in peripheral (serum) and central (hippocampi and spinal cord) levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Subjects exhibiting a purely depression-like profile showed higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines peripherally, whereas subjects exhibiting a depression- and anxiety-like profile showed higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines centrally (hippocampi and spinal cord). These changes in inflammation were not associated with injury severity; suggesting that the association between inflammation and the expression of behaviors characteristic of decreased psychological well-being was not confounded by differential impairments in motor ability. These data support the hypothesis that inflammatory changes are associated with decreased psychological well-being following SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sioui Maldonado-Bouchard
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA; Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
| | - Kelsey Peters
- Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station,
Texas, USA
| | - Sarah A. Woller
- Anesthesiology, University of California San Diego, San Diego,
California, USA
| | - Behrouz Madahian
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Memphis,
Tennessee, USA
| | - Usef Faghihi
- Department of Mathematics & Computer Science, University of
Indianapolis, Indianapolis, USA
| | - Shivani Patel
- Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station,
Texas, USA
| | - Shameena Bake
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas
A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
| | - Michelle A Hook
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas
A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, Texas
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Sun X, Song W, Liu L. Enzymatic production of agmatine by recombinant arginine decarboxylase. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molcatb.2015.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Moretti M, Neis VB, Matheus FC, Cunha MP, Rosa PB, Ribeiro CM, Rodrigues ALS, Prediger RD. Effects of Agmatine on Depressive-Like Behavior Induced by Intracerebroventricular Administration of 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)). Neurotox Res 2015; 28:222-31. [PMID: 26156429 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-015-9540-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Considering that depression is a common non-motor comorbidity of Parkinson's disease and that agmatine is an endogenous neuromodulator that emerges as a potential agent to manage diverse central nervous system disorders, this study investigated the antidepressant-like effect of agmatine in mice intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) injected with the dopaminergic neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)). Male C57BL6 mice were treated with agmatine (0.0001, 0.1 or 1 mg/kg) and 60 min later the animals received an i.c.v. injection of MPP(+) (1.8 µg/site). Twenty-four hours after MPP(+) administration, immobility time, anhedonic behavior, and locomotor activity were evaluated in the tail suspension test (TST), splash test, and open field test, respectively. Using Western blot analysis, we investigated the putative modulation of MPP(+) and agmatine on striatal and frontal cortex levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). MPP(+) increased the immobility time of mice in the TST, as well as induced an anhedonic-like behavior in the splash test, effects which were prevented by pre-treatment with agmatine at the three tested doses. Neither drug, alone or in combination, altered the locomotor activity of mice. I.c.v. administration of MPP(+) increased the striatal immunocontent of TH, an effect prevented by the three tested doses of agmatine. MPP(+) and agmatine did not alter the immunocontent of BDNF in striatum and frontal cortex. These results demonstrate for the first time the antidepressant-like effects of agmatine in an animal model of depressive-like behavior induced by the dopaminergic neurotoxin MPP(+).
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgana Moretti
- Department of Pharmacology, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, 88049-900, Brazil,
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TNF-α-induced depressive-like phenotype and p38(MAPK) activation are abolished by ascorbic acid treatment. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 25:902-12. [PMID: 25836357 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2014] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the effects of ascorbic acid on depressive-like behavior induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) in mice. Additionally, we examined the effects of combined administration of ascorbic acid and antidepressants, MK-801 and 7-nitroindazole in mice exposed or not to TNF-α and the capacity of TNF-α and ascorbic acid to modulate hippocampal and cerebrocortical phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38(MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). In control animals, ascorbic acid reduced the immobility time in the tail suspension test (TST). Unilateral intracerebroventricular administration of TNF-α produced a depressive-like behavior in the TST, and the treatment with ascorbic acid prevented this effect. Sub-effective dose of ascorbic acid combined with sub-effective doses of fluoxetine, imipramine, bupropion, MK-801 or 7-nitroindazole produced a synergistic antidepressant-like effect in mice exposed or not to TNF-α. No treatment caused significant alterations in the locomotor activity of mice. Administration of TNF-α increased the phosphorylation of p38(MAPK) in hippocampus and cerebral cortex, and the treatment with ascorbic acid prevented this effect. Ascorbic acid increased phosphorylation of ERK1 in the hippocampus of saline- and TNF-α-treated animals, however it did not produce alterations in the cerebral cortex. No effects on phosphorylation of ERK2 or JNK were found. The observed effect of ascorbic acid seems to be associated, at least partially, with a reduced p38(MAPK) phosphorylation, activation of the monoaminergic systems as well as inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis.
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Agmatine, by Improving Neuroplasticity Markers and Inducing Nrf2, Prevents Corticosterone-Induced Depressive-Like Behavior in Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2015; 53:3030-3045. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-015-9182-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 04/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Agmatine attenuates lipopolysaccharide induced anorexia and sickness behavior in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 132:108-114. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Revised: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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50
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Agmatine attenuates hyperactivity and weight loss associated with activity-based anorexia in female rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 132:136-141. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Revised: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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