title: Effects of hydrogen-rich water on depressive-like behavior in mice.
abstract: Emerging evidence suggests that neuroinflammation and oxidative stress may be major contributors to major depressive disorder (MDD). Patients or animal models of depression show significant increase of proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and oxidative stress biomarkers in the periphery or central nervous system (CNS). Recent studies show that hydrogen selectively reduces cytotoxic oxygen radicals, and hydrogen-rich saline potentially suppresses the production of several proinflammatory mediators. Since current depression medications are accompanied by a wide spectrum of side effects, novel preventative or therapeutic measures with fewer side effects might have a promising future. We investigated the effects of drinking hydrogen-rich water on the depressive-like behavior in mice and its underlying mechanisms. Our study show that hydrogen-rich water treatment prevents chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced depressive-like behavior. CUMS induced elevation in IL-1β protein levels in the hippocampus, and the cortex was significantly attenuated after 4 weeks of feeding the mice hydrogen-rich water. Over-expression of caspase-1 (the IL-1β converting enzyme) and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) was successfully suppressed by hydrogen-rich water treatment. Our data suggest that the beneficial effects of hydrogen-rich water on depressive-like behavior may be mediated by suppression of the inflammasome activation resulting in attenuated protein IL-1β and ROS production.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology and Mental Health, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology and Mental Health, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology and Mental Health, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Teng-Yun
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology and Mental Health, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology and Mental Health, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Liang
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology and Mental Health, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Yun-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Naval Aviation Medicine, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology and Mental Health, Second Military Medical University, 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Lei
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy; D014867:Water / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014867:Water; D006859:Hydrogen; D020170:Caspase 1