Suppressive Effects of Gelsemine on Anxiety-like Behaviors Induced by Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress in Mice

Brain Sciences

Hui Yu¹  Mo-Huan Tang¹  Zhao-Ying Liu¹  Zi-Yue Zeng¹  Xiao-Feng Zheng¹  Si-Juan Huang¹ 

[1] College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China;

关键词: gelsemine;    anxiety;    BDNF;    NLRP3 inflammasome;    Gelsemium;   

DOI  :  10.3390/brainsci12020191

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Gelsemine is an active principle and a major alkaloid found in Gelsemium genus of plants belonging to the Loganiaceae family. The aim of the present study was to explore whether gelsemine exerts anxiolytic effects on a mouse model of chronic-unpredictable-mild-stress (CUMS)-induced anxiety-like behaviors. NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, downregulated cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were also evaluated as potential mechanisms. First, gelsemine reversed a CUMS-induced decrease in body-weight gain in mice. Next, gelsemine alleviated CUMS-induced anxiety-like behaviors, as evidenced by the increased distance traveled in the central zone of the open-field test, both the increased percentage of time spent and distance traveled in the light compartment, the increased number of transitions between compartments in the light/dark-transition test, and the increased percentage of entries and time spent in the open arm of the elevated plus-maze. In addition, gelsemine decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6, in the hypothalamus and hippocampus of CUMS mice. Interestingly, further investigations revealed that gelsemine inhibited the CUMS-induced activation of NLRP3-inflammasome pathways and downregulated CREB and BDNF overexpression in the hypothalamus. In summary, gelsemine alleviated anxiety-like behaviors in the CUMS-induced mouse model. Gelsemine exerted its anxiolytic effects by modulating the NLRP3 and CREB/BDNF pathways.

【 授权许可】

Unknown