title: Hyperforin promotes mitochondrial function and development of oligodendrocytes.
abstract: St. John's wort has been found to be an effective and safe herbal treatment for depression in several clinical trials. However, the underlying mechanism of its therapeutic effects is unclear. Recent studies show that the loss and malfunction of oligodendrocytes are closely related to the neuropathological changes in depression, which can be reversed by antidepressant treatment. In this study, we evaluated the effects of hyperforin, a major active component of St. John's wort, on the proliferation, development and mitochondrial function of oligodendrocytes. The study results revealed that hyperforin promotes maturation of oligodendrocytes and increases mitochondrial function without affecting proliferation of an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell line and neural stem/progenitor cells. Hyperforin also prevented mitochondrial toxin-induced cytotoxicity in an oligodendrocyte progenitor cell line. These findings suggest that hyperforin may stimulate the development and function of oligodendrocytes, which could be a mechanism of its effect in depression. Future in vitro and in vivo studies are required to further characterize the mechanisms of hyperforin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: Yanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yanbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Handi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nazarali
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qingrong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Jiming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Xin-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010696:Phloroglucinol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013729:Terpenes; D010696:Phloroglucinol; C001654:hyperforin