ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Antidepressants are known to positively influence several factors in patients with depressive disorders, resulting in increased neurogenesis and subsequent relief of depressive disorders. To study the effects of venlafaxine during neural differentiation at the cellular level, we looked at its effect on protein expression and regulation mechanisms during neural differentiation. METHODS: After exposing NCCIT cell-derived EBs to venlafaxine during differentiation (1 day and 7 days), changes in protein expression were analyzed by 2-DE and MALDI-TOF MS analysis. Gene levels of proteins regulated by venlafaxine were analyzed by real-time RT-PCR. RESULTS: Treatment with venlafaxine decreased expression of prolyl 4-hydroxylase (P4HB), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2K (HIP2) and plastin 3 (T-plastin), and up-regulated expression of growth factor beta-3 (TGF-beta3), dihydropyrimidinase-like 3 (DPYSL3), and pyruvate kinase (PKM) after differentiation for 1 and 7 days. In cells exposed to venlafaxine, the mRNA expression patterns of HIP2 and PKM, which function as negative and positive regulators of differentiation and neuronal survival, respectively, were consistent with the observed changes in protein expression. CONCLUSION: Our findings may contribute to improve understanding of molecular mechanism of venlafaxine.