title: Anti-ceramidase LCL385 acutely reduces BCL-2 expression in the hippocampus but is not associated with an increase of learned helplessness in rats.
abstract: Evidence from in situ studies supports the role of anti-apoptotic factors in the antidepressant responses of certain psychotropics. The availability of anti-ceramidase pro-apoptocic compound (LCL385) provides an opportunity to test in vivo the relation between hippocampal apopotosis and learned helplessness.
  
  
  METHODS
  40 Sprague-Dawley male rodents underwent an FST after a treatment with LCL385, desipramine (DMI), or placebo (SAL) over 3 days. Behavioral responses, including immobility, swimming and climbing were counted during the 6min test. Western blot labeling was used to detect anti-apoptosis in hippocampus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DMI alone was associated with reduced immobility and increased climbing whereas LCL385 alone showed a decrease in Bcl-2/beta-actin ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Direct modulation of Bcl-2 expression in the hippocampus is not associated with learned helplessness in stressed rats. Three-day administration of DMI and LCL385 show divergent effects on behavioral and anti-apoptotic measures.
authors.affiliation: Mood Disorders Program, University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nahas
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Youssef H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zeidan
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bielawska
authors.forename: Zdzislaw
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szulc
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Devane
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kalivas
authors.forename: Yusuf A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Hannun