Research progress of neuronal injury mediated by microglial activation and depression / 中国药理学通报

Depression is a common neurological disorder with high incidence, high recurrence and high disability, but its pathogenesis is unclear. In recent years, the protective and attacking effects of glial cells on neurons have become the frontier of neurological disease research. Neuronal injury caused by abnormal activation of microglia (MG) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of depression. In this paper, through literature retrieval by GeenMedical and CNKI, the relevant pathways and key targets of MG activation in depression are summarized so as to provide a theoretical basis for further clinical research.

Therapeutic effect and mechanism of Xiaoyao Kangai Jieyu Recipe on mice with breast cancer related depression through regulating COX pathway / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to investigate the intervention effect and mechanism of Xiaoyao Kangai Jieyu Recipe(XKJR) on hip-pocampal microglia and neuronal damage in mice with breast cancer related depression. The mouse model of breast cancer related depression was established by inoculation of 4T1 breast cancer cells in axilla and subcutaneous injection of corticosterone(30 mg·kg~(-1)). The successfully modeled mice were randomly divided into a model group, a positive drug group(capecitabine 60 mg·kg~(-1)+fluoxetine 19.5 mg·kg~(-1)), and XKJR group(19.5 mg·kg~(-1) crude drug), with 6 in each group. Another 6 normal mice were taken as a normal group. The administration groups were given corresponding drugs by gavage, while the normal and model groups were given an equal volume of distilled water, once a day for 21 consecutive days. The depressive behavior of mice was assessed by glucose consumption test, open field test and novelty-suppressed feeding test. Hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining and tumor suppression rate were used to evaluate the changes of axillary tumors. The mRNA expressions and the relative protein expressions of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-18(IL-18), cyclooxyganese-2(COX-2) and glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase(EPRs) in the hippocampus of mice were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect the mean fluorescence intensity of CD11b, a marker of hippocampal microglia activation. Nissler staining and transmission electron microscopy were employed to observe the morphological changes and the ultramorphological changes of hippocampal neurons, respectively. The experimental results indicated that compared with the normal group, the model group had reduced glucose consumption and lowered number of total activities in open field test(P<0.05, P<0.01), prolonged first feeding latency in no-velty-suppressed feeding test(P<0.01), and significant depression-like behavior; the contents of IL-1β, IL-18, COX-2, and EPRs in hippocampus were increased(P<0.05, P<0.01), with hippocampal microglia activation and obvious neuronal damage. Compared with the model group, the positive drug group and the XKJR group presented an improvement in depressive behaviors, a decrease in the contents of IL-1β, IL-18, COX-2 and EPRs in hippocampus, and an alleviation in the activation of hippocampal microglia and neuronal damage; the tumor suppression rates of positive drug and XKJR were 40.32% and 48.83%, respectively, suggesting a lower tumor growth rate than that of the model group. In summary, XKJR may improve hippocampal microglia activation and neuronal damage in mice with breast cancer related depression through activating COX signaling pathway.

Research progress on antidepressant effects of melatonin and its receptor agonists / 中国药理学通报

Depression, a chronic syndrome with significant and lasting depression and sleep disturbance, is the most common mental disorder.Recent studies have shown that melatonin plays an important role in the occurrence and development of depression.rI1iis review describes the antidepressant effects of melatonin from HPA axis, cytokines, neurosynaptic plasticity and monoamine neurotransmitters, and summarizes the melatonin receptor agonists agomelatine, ramelteon and piromelatine antidepressant effects.A theoretical basis is expected to provide a reference for the study of melatonin's antidepressant mechanism.

Effects of Xiaoyao Kang'ai Jieyu Formula on Depressive Symptoms of Mice with Breast Cancer Related Depression / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of Xiaoyao Kang'ai Jieyu Formula on mice with breast cancer related depression; To explore its mechanism. Methods BALB/c female mice were set as study objects. Subaxillary injection of inflammatory 4T1 cells and intraperitoneal injection of corticosterone were used to establish a model of breast cancer related depression. According to the consumption of sugar water, mice were randomly divided into blank group, model group, paclitaxel group, Xiaoyao Kang'ai Jieyu Formula group, chemotherapy+fluoxetine group, and chemotherapy + Xiaoyao Kang'ai Jieyu Formula group. After 21 days, sucrose preference test, open-field test, and novelty feeding test were performed to detect changes in the behavior of mice in each group. ELISA were used to detected the contents of corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticosterone (CORT) in plasma, and the contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), tumor markers carbohydrate antigen CA153, CA125 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in serum. Results Compared with the blank group, the consumption of sugar, horizontal and vertical movements of mice in the model group significantly decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05); the latency of ingestion significantly increased (P<0.01, P<0.05); the levels of tumor markers CA153, CA125, CEA and some indexes of HPA axis significantly increased (P<0.01); the expressions of monoamine neurotransmitter NE, DA and 5-HT significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, sugar consumption and autonomic activity significantly increased in the chemotherapy + Xiaoyao Kang'ai Jieyu Formula group, and behavioral despair condition was improved (P<0.01, P<0.05); the content of tumor markers and some indexes related to HPA axis significantly decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05); the contents of 5-HT, DA and NE significantly increased (P<0.01, P<0.05). Conclusion The combination of Xiaoyao Kang'ai Jieyu Formula and paclitaxel can effectively relieve the depressive symptoms of breast cancer related depression.