title: Differential expression of VAMP2/synaptobrevin-2 after antidepressant and electroconvulsive treatment in rat frontal cortex.
abstract: The biological basis for the therapeutic mechanisms of depression is still unknown. We have previously performed expressed-sequence tag (EST) analysis to identify some molecular machinery responsible for antidepressant effect. Then, we developed our original cDNA microarray, on which cDNA fragments identified as antidepressant-related genes/ESTs were spotted. In this study, with this microarray followed by Western blot analysis, we have demonstrated the induction of vesicle-associated membrane protein 2(VAMP2/synaptobrevin-2) in rat frontal cortex not only after chronic antidepressant treatment, but also after repeated electroconvulsive treatment. On the other hand, expression of SNAP-25 and syntaxin-1 was not changed by these treatments. These components make a soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment protein receptor complex with VAMP2 and mediate the synaptic vesicle docking/fusion machinery. In conclusion, it is suggested that VAMP2/synaptobrevin-2 plays important roles in the antidepressant effects. Our results may contribute to a novel model for the therapeutic mechanism of depression and new molecular targets for the development of therapeutic agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Showa University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan. mitsu@med.showa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsunoda
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamijima
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Momose
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger