title: Subchronic administration of ascorbic acid elicits antidepressant-like effect and modulates cell survival signaling pathways in mice.
abstract: In this study, we examined the ability of subchronic ascorbic acid administration to produce an antidepressant-like effect in the mouse tail suspension test (TST). Moreover, we investigated the effect of this vitamin on hippocampal and cerebrocortical brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) immunocontent, phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38MAPKand c-Jun. N-terminal kinase (JNK). Fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, positive control, po) or ascorbic acid (0.1 and 1 mg/kg, po), administered once daily for 21 days, produced a significant antidepressant-like effect in the TST. The significant effects obtained in protein immunocontents were: administration of ascorbic acid at 1 mg/kg induced an increase in AKT phosphorylation in cerebral cortex of mice. Ascorbic acid treatment (1 mg/kg), similar to fluoxetine, decreased hippocampal p38MAPKbut did not alter ERK or JNK phosphorylation. These results extend the data about the antidepressant-like effect of ascorbic acid by exploring, for the first time, the intracellular pathways involved in its antidepressant properties after subchronic administration.
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduate Nutrition Program, Center of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. Electronic address: morganamoretti@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Morgana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurosciences, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of Southern Santa Catarina, 88806-000 Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Josiane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Budni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camille Mertins
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Center of Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Débora Kurrle
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Rieger
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Bainy
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Center of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário, Trindade, 88040-900, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia S
authors.initials: ALS
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000819:agonists* / Q000378:metabolism; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D005473:Fluoxetine; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C494920:Akt1 protein, rat
keywords: AKT; Antidepressant; Ascorbic acid; Tail suspension test; p38(MAPK)