Fluoxetine partially alleviates inflammation in the kidney of socially stressed male C57 BL/6 mice

Abstract

Stress‐related illnesses are linked to the onset and progression of renal diseases and depressive disorders. To investigate stress‐induced changes in the renal transcriptome associated with the development of depressive behaviors, we generated here a chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model of C57 BL/6 male mice and then performed RNA sequencing of the kidneys to obtain an inflammation‐related transcriptome. Administration of the antidepressant drug fluoxetine (10 mg·kg−1·day−1) during CSDS induction could partially alleviate renal inflammation and reverse CSDS‐induced depression‐like behaviors. Moreover, fluoxetine also modulated gene expression of stress‐related hormone receptors, including prolactin and melanin‐concentrating hormone. These results suggest that CSDS can induce gene expression changes associated with inflammation in the kidney of C57 BL/6 male mice, and this inflammation can be treated effectively by fluoxetine.