Author:
Tanaka Masaru,Bohár Zsuzsanna,Martos Diána,Telegdy Gyula,Vécsei László
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Kynurenic acid (KYNA) is an l-tryptophan metabolite with neuromodulatory activities, regulating the release of neurotransmitters such as glutamate, dopamine (DA), and acetylcholine (Ach). Dysregulation of the kynurenine pathway has been associated with neurodegenerative, neurological, and psychological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia.
Methods
The antidepressant-like effects of KYNA were studied with a modified mouse forced swimming test (FST), and the potential involvement of the serotonin (SER), norepinephrine, DA, Ach, N-methyl-d-aspartate, or gamma-aminobutyric acid subunit A (GABAA) receptors in its antidepressant-like effect was assayed by modified combination mouse FST. In combination studies, the mice were pretreated with the respective receptor antagonist, cyproheptadine (CPH), phenoxybenzamine, yohimbine, propranolol, haloperidol (HPD), atropine, MK-801, or bicuculline (BCL).
Results
The FST revealed that KYNA reversed immobility, climbing, and swimming times, suggesting the antidepressant-like effects of KYNA. Furthermore, the combination studies showed that CPH prevented the antidepressant-like effects of KYNA on immobility, climbing, and swimming times, whereas HPD reduced climbing time and BCL influenced immobility and climbing times and prevented the effects of KYNA on swimming time.
Conclusions
The results demonstrated, for the first time, the presence of antidepressant-like effects of KYNA in a modified mouse FST. Furthermore, modified combination FST showed that the antidepressant-like actions of KYNA strongly interacted with 5-hydroxytryptamine type 2 SER-ergic receptors, weakly interacted with D2, D3, D4 DA-ergic receptors, and interacted moderately with GABAA receptors.
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Pharmacology,General Medicine
Reference20 articles.
1. Plangar I, Majlath Z, Vecsei L. Kynurenines in cognitive functions: their possible role in depression. Neuropsychopharmacol Hung. 2012;14(4):239–44.
2. Vécsei L, Szalárdy L, Fülöp F, Toldi J. Kynurenines in the CNS: recent advances and new questions. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2013;12(1):64–82.
3. Meier TB, Drevets WC, Wurfel BE, Ford BN, Morris HM, Victor TA, et al. Relationship between neurotoxic kynurenine metabolites and reductions in right medial prefrontal cortical thickness in major depressive disorder. Brain Behav Immun. 2016;53:39–48.
4. Pellegrino AS, Cushman AJ. Stereotaxic atlas of the rat brain. New York: Plenum Press; 1979.
5. Khisti RT, Chopde CT, Jain SP. Antidepressant-like effect of the neurosteroid 3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one in mice forced swim test. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2000;67(1):137–43.