title: Venlafaxine modulates depression-induced behaviour and the expression of Bax mRNA and Bcl-xl mRNA in both hippocampus and myocardium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Major depressive disorder is associated with progressive brain changes and is frequently comorbid with cardiovascular disease. There may be shared pathophysiological pathways between cerebral and myocardial dysfunction that impact on apoptosis related proteins. Our aim was to examine behaviour changes of rats with chronic mild stress (CMS), explore the expression of Bax and Bcl-xl in the hippocampus and myocardium, and additionally evaluate the effects of venlafaxine on these molecular mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were randomly divided into three groups. The behaviour was assessed using the open field and sucrose consumption tests. Gene expression was measured by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In CMS, there was a significant reduction of movements and sucrose consumption, an increased Bax level and a decreased Bcl-xl level in both the hippocampus and myocardium. The venlafaxine group showed an increase in movements and sucrose consumption, as well as upregulated expression of Bcl-xl and downregulated expression of Bax in both the hippocampus and myocardium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that in CMS, there is an increase in pro-apoptotic pathways that is reversed by venlafaxine. This suggests that there are shared active biochemical pathways that may play a role in the process of neuroprogression that is seen in depression and cardiovascular disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Affiliated to Guiyang Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China.
authors.forename: Yiming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhengjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Xingde
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C494828:Bax protein, rat; C494813:Bcl2l1 protein, rat; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride