title: Is there an association between hypercholesterolemia and depression? Behavioral evidence from the LDLr(-/-) mouse experimental model.
abstract: Although epidemiological studies have reported an association between hypercholesterolemia and mood disorders, there is a lack of data regarding depressive-like behavior in animal models of hypercholesterolemia. To address these questions, we assessed depressive-like behavior and hippocampal and cortical monoaminergic metabolism in three-month-old, low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDLr(-/-)) and C57BL/6 wild-type mice. The LDLr(-/-) mice exhibited depressive-like behavior in the sucrose preference test, splash test, and tail suspension test. Increased monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B activity was evidenced in the hippocampus of LDLr(-/-) mice. Furthermore, to address whether or not cholesterol modulates MAO activity, we exposed SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells to human isolated low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Notably, LDL increased the activity of MAO-A and stimulated the reactive species generation in vitro. These findings indicate that depressive-like behavior in hypercholesterolemic mice is accompanied by alterations in the monoaminergic metabolism, providing new evidence about the association between hypercholesterolemia and depression.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daiane Fátima
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jade
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jadna Bogado
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danúbia Bonfanti
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Luiz Gasnhar
authors.initials: ELG
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia S
authors.initials: ALS
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. Electronic address: patibrocardo@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Souza Brocardo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCB), Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. Electronic address: andreza.bem@ufsc.br.
authors.forename: Andreza Fabro
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: de Bem
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase
keywords: Depression; Hypercholesterolemia; Low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice (LDLr (– / –)); Monoamine oxidase