Chronic selective serotonin reuptake inhibition modulates endothelial dysfunction and oxidative state in rat chronic mild stress model of depression.
Major depression is known to be associated with cardiovascular abnormalities, and oxidative stress has been suggested to play a role. We tested the hypothesis that antidepressant treatment reduces oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunctions in the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression in rats. Rats with >30% reduction in sucrose intake after 4 wk of CMS were defined in the study as CMS-susceptible and compared with unstressed controls. Sixteen CMS-susceptible and eight unstressed rats were treated during weeks 5 to 8 of the CMS protocol with escitalopram. Escitalopram-treated rats with >20% recovery in the sucrose consumption during the last 2 wk of treatment were defined as escitalopram responders. Rats that did not reach these criteria were defined as escitalopram nonresponders. In the open field test, escitalopram responders demonstrated anxiolytic effect of treatment. In mesenteric small arteries, escitalopram affected neither NO nor cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1)-mediated vasodilation. Escitalopram potentiated endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization-like response, which was suppressed in the vehicle-treated CMS-susceptible rats and reduced COX-2-dependent relaxation, which was elevated in the vehicle-treated CMS-susceptible rats. Escitalopram did not affect blood pressure and heart rate, which were elevated in the vehicle-treated CMS-susceptible rats. Oxidative stress markers were changed in association with CMS in liver, heart, and brain. Escitalopram normalized oxidative stress markers in the majority of tissues. This study demonstrates that the antidepressant effect of escitalopram is associated with partial improvement of endothelial function in small arteries affecting COX-2 and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization-like pathways.
Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark;
Vladimir V
VV
Matchkov
Department of General Physiology, Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; and.
Violetta V
VV
Kravtsova
Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Risskov, Denmark.
Ove
O
Wiborg
Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark;
Christian
C
Aalkjaer
Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Risskov, Denmark elena_bouz@hotmail.com.
Elena V
EV
Bouzinova
D000818:Animals; D015283:Citalopram / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D051660:Intermediate-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D051640:Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*
D015283:Citalopram; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D051660:Intermediate-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D051640:Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels
chronic mild stress; cyclooxygenase; depression; endothelium; endothelium-derived hyperpolarization; escitalopram; glutathione; malondialdehyde; nitric oxide synthase; oxidative stress