Protective effect of liquiritigenin on depressive-like behavior in mice after lipopolysaccharide administration.
Liquiritigenin (Liq), the main active ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine licorice, possesses anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. The current investigation was designed to explore whether liquiritigenin could relieve lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression-like behavior in mice and the underlying mechanism. Liquiritigenin (7.5mg/kg, 15mg/kg) and fluoxetine (20mg/kg) were pretreated intragastrically once daily for 7 consecutive days. LPS (0.5mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously to establish the depression model 30min after pretreatment on day 7. Interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels in serum and hippocampus were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Behavioral assessment was conduct 24h post LPS injection. The expressions of p65NF-κB, IκBα, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) in hippocampus were determined by western blot. The obtained results showed that liquiritigenin effectively reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expressions of p-p65NF-κB and p-IκBα. Furthermore, liquiritigenin preconditioning could down-regulate the immobility time in tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST) and up-regulate BDNF and TrkB contents in hippocampus. Thus, it is assumed that the antidepressant activity of liquiritigenin might be attributed to its anti-inflammatory property and BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway.
Wuxi Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Center for Translational Systems Biology and Neuroscience, School of Basic Biomedical Science, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
Qiang
Q
Su
Wuxi Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Center for Translational Systems Biology and Neuroscience, School of Basic Biomedical Science, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China. Electronic address: tw845@163.com.
Weiwei
W
Tao
Wuxi Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
Huang
H
Huang
Wuxi Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
Yan
Y
Du
Wuxi Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
Xing
X
Chu
Center for Translational Systems Biology and Neuroscience, School of Basic Biomedical Science, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China. Electronic address: chengang@njucm.edu.cn.
Gang
G
Chen
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D044950:Flavanones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013550:Swimming; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D020813:Receptor, trkB
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D016207:Cytokines; D044950:Flavanones; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C508600:IL6 protein, human; C579455:BDNF protein, human; C064371:Ntrk2 protein, mouse; D020813:Receptor, trkB; C083152:liquiritigenin
BDNF/TrkB; Depression; Inflammation; Liquiritigenin