Wenyang Jieyu Prescription Regulates Hippocampal Neuron Apoptosis and Improves Synaptic Plasticity in Depressed Mice via BDNF/Akt/mTOR Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Wenyang Jieyu prescription in regulating hippocampal neuron apoptosis and improving synaptic plasticity in the mouse model of depression induced by maternal separation combined with restraint stress. MethodThe mice on postnatal day 0 （PD0） were randomly assigned into a control group （n=10） and a modeling group （n=50）. Maternal separation combined with restraint stress was adopted to establish the mouse model of depression， and the modeled mice were randomized into model， Wenyang prescription， Jieyu prescription， Wenyang Jieyu prescription， and fluoxetine groups （n=10） on the weaning day （PD21）. From PD21 to PD111， the mice were fed with the diets mixed with corresponding medicines. The sucrose preference test， open field test， O-maze test， and novel object recognition test were then conducted to evaluate the depression， memory， and learning abilities of mice. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was employed to measure the atomic absorbance （AA） of postsynaptic density protein 95 （PSD95） in the hippocampus. Terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL） was employed to detect the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， phosphorylated tyrosine kinase receptor B/tyrosine kinase receptor B （p-TrkB/TrkB）， phosphorylated protein kinase B/protein kinase B （p-Akt/Akt）， phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin/mammalian target of rapamycin （p-mTOR/mTOR）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X （Bax）， cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-3 （Caspase-3）， synaptophysin （Syn）， and PSD95. ResultCompared with the control group， the modeling decreased the sucrose preference rate， time spent in central zone within 5 min， total movement distance， time spent in the open arm， and cognition index （P<0.01）. Furthermore， it decreased the expression of PSD95， increased the neuron apoptosis in the hippocampus （P<0.01）， down-regulated the protein levels of BDNF， p-TrkB/TrkB， p-Akt/Akt， p-mTOR/mTOR， Bcl-2， PSD95， and Syn （P<0.01）， and up-regulated the protein levels of Bax and Caspase-3 （P<0.05） in the hippocampus. Compared with the model group， Wenyang Jieyu prescription and fluoxetine increased the sucrose preference rate， time spent in central zone within 5 min， total movement distance， time spent in the open arm， and cognition index （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the drugs increased the expression of PSD95， reduced the neuron apoptosis （P<0.01）， up-regulated the protein levels of BDNF， p-TrkB/TrkB， p-Akt/Akt， p-mTOR/mTOR， Bcl-2， PSD95， and Syn （P<0.01）， and down-regulated the protein levels of Bax and Caspase-3 （P<0.01）. ConclusionWenyang Jieyu prescription outperformed Wenyang prescription and Jieyu prescription in the treatment of the depressive behavior induced by maternal separation combined with restraint stress in mice. It exerted the therapeutic effect by reducing the hippocampal neuron apoptosis and improving the synaptic plasticity via the BDNF/Akt/mTOR pathway.

Syndromes and Mechanisms of Depression Induced by Second Hit in Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the syndromes and mechanisms of depression induced by maternal separation （MS） combined with chronic restraint stress （RS） in mice. MethodOn postnatal day 0 （PD0）， the offspring mice were randomized into a blank group （NC） and a modeling group. The mouse model of depression was established by MS+RS for 21 days. After removal of female mice on PD21， the modeled mice were randomized into model， Wenyang， Jieyu， Wenyang Jieyu， and fluoxetine groups， with 15 mice in each group. The sucrose preference， tail suspension， and open field tests were carried out to evaluate the anxiety and depression-like behavior in mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the adrenocorticotrophic hormone （ACTH） and corticosterone （CORT） levels in mouse plasma. High performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector was used to determine the content of monoamine neurotransmitters in the hippocampus. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was employed to determine the mRNA levels of genes in the 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） system， hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal （HPA） axis， and brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） signaling pathway in the hippocampus. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the expression levels of proteins in the 5-HT system and HPA axis in the hippocampus. The Simple Western system was used to determine the protein levels of BDNF and tyrosine kinase receptor B （TrkB） in the hippocampus. ResultCompared with the NC group， the model group exhibited depression-like behavior， which was significantly relieved by Wenyang Jieyu prescription and fluoxetine. Compared with the NC group， the model group showed elevated levels of CORT and ACTH in the plasma （P<0.01）， which， however， were lowered by Wenyang Jieyu prescription and fluoxetine （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the NC group， the model group showed inhibited expression of neurotransmitters in the hippocampus （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while Wenyang Jieyu prescription and fluoxetine restored the expression of neurotransmitters （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with NC group， the model group showed inhibition of the 5-HTergic nerve and abnormal activation of the HPA axis， and Wenyang Jieyu prescription and fluoxetine regulated the abnormal state of the 5-HTergic nerve and HPA axis. Compared with NC group， the modeling down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of BDNF and TrkB in the hippocampus （P<0.05， P<0.01）， which， however， were recovered in Wenyang， Jieyu， Wenyang Jieyu， and fluoxetine groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe mouse model of depression induced by MS+RS may present the syndrome of Yang deficiency and liver depression. Wenyang Jieyu prescription may increase the content of hippocampal neurotransmitters by regulating the 5-HT system and the BDNF signaling pathway mediated by the HPA axis， thereby alleviating depression-like behavior in mice.

Protective effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor on retinal neurovascular unit / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Based on the neurovascular unit(NVU), neurovascular coupling functions as a barrier to maintain the homeostasis of the microenvironment by regulating the signaling and metabolic activity of nerve cells and capillaries. Widely dispersed across the retina, the NVU is essential to preserving its normal physiological function. A disturbance in retinal neurovascular homeostasis produced by a range of factors can result in a variety of retinal disorders, such as diabetic retinopathy(DR), glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa(RP)and age-related macular degeneration(ARMD). The retina also has a widespread distribution of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), which functions to promote neuron growth and repair damage by binding to its receptor TrkB. In recent years, BDNF was found to play a protective role against damage in the early stage of retinal neurovascular homeostasis imbalance, often known as the neurodegenerative stage. It also helps to reduce the production of pro-angiogenic substances of neurological origin and offers a fresh approach for the early detection and treatment of associated eye disorders.

Expression and distribution of brain⁃derived neurotrophic factor in different cerebrum regions of yak and cattle / 解剖学报

Objective To clarify the expression and distribution of brain⁃derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the cerebrum of plateau yaks and cattle, and to explore the relationship between BDNF function and the adaptability of altitude hypoxia. Methods Five yaks and five cattles were selected.The content and distribution of BDNF in frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, cerebrum white matter and hippocampus of yak and cattle were analyzed by Real⁃time PCR, Western blotting and Immunohistochemistry. Results Real⁃time PCR result showed that BDNF mRNA expression in the cerebrum of yaks and cattles was highest in temporal cortex, followed by hippocampus, parietal cortex, occipital cortex and frontal cortex, and lowest in white matter. Western blotting results showed that the content of BDNF protein in the cerebrum of yaks was the highest in temporal cortex,followed by hippocampus. The content of BDNF protein in other tissues was parietal cortex, frontal cortex and cerebrum white matter, and the content of BDNF protein was the lowest in occipital cortex. The content of BDNF protein intlecerebrum of cattles was the highest in the temporal cortex, followed by the hippocampus. The content of BDNF protein in other tissues was parietal cortex, occipital cortex and frontal cortex in descending order, and the protein content in cerebrum white matter was the lowest. Immunohistochemical results showed that the positive expression of BDNF protein in the cerebrum of yaks and cattles was basically similar, mainly distributed in the granulosa cells and glial cells in the frontal cortex, temporal cortex, parietal cortex and occipital cortex, glial cells in cerebrum white matter, pyramidal cell layer and polyform cell layer in the hippocampus. There was the small amount of distribution in Martinotti cells and the molecular layer of hippocampus in the cerebral cortex. Conclusion BDNF mRNA and protein are distributed and expressed in different brain regions of yaks and cattles, but the expression level different, which is speculated to be closely related to the specific functions of different cerebrum regions. The expression level of the cerebrum of yak is higher than that of cattle except occipital cortex, suggesting that it is related to the altitude hypoxic environment. BDNF may play an important role in enhancing hypoxic tolerance and protecting internal environmental homeostasis in the process of animal adaptation to hypoxic environment.

Wenxiao Powder Alleviates Depression by Promoting Neurogenesis via BDNF/TrkB/ERK/CREB Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo decipher the mechanism of Wenxiao powder in alleviating corticosterone-induced depression-like behaviors in mice. MethodMale ICR mice were randomized into normal， model， paroxetine （20 mg·kg-1）， and low- and high-dose （3.27， 6.54 g·kg-1， respectively） Wenxiao powder groups. The mice in normal and model groups received equal volume of saline. Other groups except the normal group were injected with corticosterone subcutaneously 0.5 h after gavage to induce depression. Mice were tested for depression-like behaviors after drug administration. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was performed to measure the corticosterone content in the serum. Nissl staining was performed to observe the damage of hippocampal neurons. Immunofluorescence staining was employed to observe the expression of double cortin （DCX） in the dentate gyrus （DG） of the hippocampus. Western blot was employed to determine the expression of proteins in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）/tyrosine kinase receptor B （TrkB）/extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）/cAMP-response element-binding protein （CREB） pathway in the hippocampus. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed decreased sucrose preference rate， increased immobility time in the tail suspension test （P<0.01）， and reduced residence time in the central area of the open field and the total movement distance （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In addition， the modeling elevated the corticosterone level in the serum （P<0.01）， decreased the volume and intensified the nuclear staining of hippocampal neurons in the DG area， reduced the expression of DCX in the DG area， and down-regulated the protein levels of BDNF， phosphorylated （p）-TrkB， p-ERK， and p-CREB in the hippocampus （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， low-dose Wenxiao powder improved the mouse behavivors in the sucrose preference， open field， and tail suspension tests （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and high-dose Wenxiao powder improved the behaviors in the sucrose preference and open field tests （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In addition， Wenxiao powder lowered the serum corticosterone level （P<0.01） and recovered the structure and morphology of neurons with obvious nuclei and presence of Nissl bodies in the DG area of the hippocampus. Moreover， Wenxiao powder at both doses promoted the expression of DCX in the DG area， and high-dose Wenxiao powder up-regulated the protein levels of BDNF， p-TrkB， p-ERK， and p-CREB in the hippocampus （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionWenxiao powder can alleviate corticosterone-induced depression-like behaviors and promote neurogenesis in mice possibly by activating the BDNF/TrkB/ERK/CREB signaling pathway.

Asociación entre el polimorfismo Val66Met del gen BDNF y el desarrollo de disfunción ejecutiva en pacientes con cáncer de mama

Introducción. La disfunción ejecutiva asociada a quimioterapia es un efecto adverso del tratamiento antineoplásico convencional y afecta a un porcentaje considerable de personas. Se ha reportado que la presencia de ciertos polimorfismos en genes relevantes puede causar mayor susceptibilidad a padecerlo. Objetivo. Determinar la relación entre el polimorfismo Val66Met (196 G>A) del gen BDNF y el desarrollo de disfunción ejecutiva en mujeres con cáncer de mama tratadas con quimioterapia. Métodos. Se evaluaron a 73 pacientes mujeres con cáncer de mama para determinar disfunción ejecutiva antes y después de la quimioterapia. La evaluación fue realizada con la prueba INECO Frontal Screening (IFS). Se determinó el genotipo (GG=Val/Val, GA=Val/Met y AA=Met/Met) por PCR y secuenciamiento del gen BDNF. El análisis de asociación se realizó mediante el cálculo del odds ratio (OR). Resultados. El 13,7% (n = 10) de pacientes presentó el alelo A (GA y AA), además obtuvieron puntajes significativamente menores de la prueba IFS comparado con las homocigotas GG (p A) del gen BDNF y el desarrollo de disfunción ejecutiva en pacientes con cáncer de mama tratadas con quimioterapia; sin embargo, las portadoras del alelo A (Met) presentaron puntajes menores en la evaluación cognitiva.

Introduction. Chemotherapy-associated executive dysfunction is an adverse effect of conventional antineoplastic treatment that affects many patients. It has been reported that the presence of specific polymorphisms in key genes can cause a greater susceptibility to develop this condition. Objective. To determine the relationship between the Val66Met polymorphism (196 G>A) of the BDNF gene and the development of executive dysfunction in female patients with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy. Methods. 73 female breast cancer patients were evaluated for executive dysfunction before and after chemotherapy. The evaluation was carried out with the INECO Frontal Screening test (IFS). The genotype (GG=Val/Val, GA=Val/Met and AA=Met/Met) was determined by PCR and sequencing of BDNF gene. Association analysis was performed by calculating the Odds Ratio (OR) and by quantitative comparison. Results. 13.7% (n = 10) of the sample presented the allele A (GA and AA), which obtained significantly lower scores in the IFS test compared to the homozygous GG (p A) polymorphism of the BDNF gene and the development of executive dysfunction in patients with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy. However, patients with the allele A (Met) presented significant lower scores in the cognitive assessment.

Puerarin reduces intracellular Ca2+ concentration and upregulates BDNF to protect hippocampal neurons in vascular dementia rats / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To observe the effect of puerarin on the concentration of Ca2+ and the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in hippocampal neurons of vascular dementia (VD) rats so as to explore the mechanism of puerarin in protecting nerve cells. 【Methods】 Male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, and puerarin intervention group. The vascular dementia model was established by ligating bilateral common carotid arteries at intervals of 3 days. Two weeks after the operation, the learning and memory abilities of the rats were evaluated by Morris water maze, and the expression of BDNF in the hippocampus of the rats was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The mean fluorescence intensity was measured by flow cytometry to represent the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration. 【Results】 In the puerarin intervention group, the rats’ escape latency in Morris water maze was significantly shortened, the expression of BDNF in the hippocampus was significantly increased, and the concentration of Ca2+ in hippocampal neurons was decreased. Compared with the model group, the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 Puerarin has neuroprotective effect on VD rats, and its mechanism may be related to the decrease of Ca2+ concentration in hippocampal neurons and the up-regulation of BDNF expression.

Effects of Electroacupuncture on Hippocampal AcH3 and BDNF in the Rat Model of SNI-induced Pain-Depression Dyad / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo observe the impacts of electroacupuncture （EA） on the expression of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） and acetylated histone （AcH3） in the rat model of spared nerve injury （SNI）， so as to explore the analgesic and antidepressant effects of EA. MethodsTwenty-four Male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups， with 6 in each group. SNI was used to establish the model of pain and depression. All the groups were intervened one week after SNI surgery and persisted 5 weeks. The EA group was treated with EA （2 Hz） for 30 min every other day and imipramine drug group （IMP） group with peritoneal imipramine injection （10 mg/kg） per day. The sham surgery group （SS） and model group （SNI） received the same grasping stimulation. The paw mechanical withdrawal threshold （PWT） test was performed before the SNI surgery， 1， 2， 3， 4， 5， and 6 weeks after surgery， respectively. The forced swimming test （FST） and the sucrose preference test （SPT） were performed 6 weeks after SNI surgery. The Western blot method was employed to detect the expression of BDNF and AcH3 from the rat hippocampal tissue at the end of the behavioral tests. ResultsCompared with the SS group， the SNI group had significantly decreased PWT and sucrose consumption， prolonged FST immobility time （all P<0.01）， down-regulated BDNF and AcH3 expression （P<0.05 & P<0.01） in the hippocampus， which indicated the successful construction of the pain-depression model. Compared with the SNI group， 6 weeks after SNI surgery， the EA and IMP groups had significantly increased PWT and sucrose consumption， and reduced FST immobility time （all P<0.01）； the EA group had up-regulated BDNF and AcH3 expression （both P<0.05） in the hippocampus， the IMP group had up-regulated AcH3 （P<0.05） expression but no difference in BDNF expression. ConclusionEA could relieve pain and depressive behavioral symptoms in SNI rats. And its analgesic and antidepressant mechanisms may relate to the up-regulation of hippocampal AcH3 and BDNF expression.

Structural changes of the frontal cortex in depressed mice are associated with decreased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the changes in gray matter volume in depressive-like mice and explore the possible mechanism.@*METHODS@#Twenty-four 6-week-old C57 mice were randomized equally into control group and model group, and the mice in the model group were subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stimulation (CUMS) for 35 days. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed to examine structural changes of the grey matter volume in depressive-like mice. The expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the grey matter of the mice was detected using Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control mice, the mice with CUMS showed significantly decreased central walking distance in the open field test (P < 0.05) and increased immobile time in forced swimming test (P < 0.05). Magnetic resonance imaging showed that the volume of the frontal cortex was significantly decreased in CUMS mice (P < 0.001, when the mass level was greater than or equal to 10 756, the FDRc was corrected with P=0.05). Western blotting showed that the expression of mature BDNF in the frontal cortex was significantly decreased in CUMS mice (P < 0.05), and its expression began to decrease after the exposure to CUMS as shown by immunofluorescence staining. The volume of different clusters obtained by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis was correlated with the expression level of mature BDNF detected by Western blotting (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The decrease of frontal cortex volume after CUMS is related with the reduction of mature BDNF expression in the frontal cortex.

Effects of Jieyu Zhitong Prescription on behavior and BDNF/ERK1/2/CREB signaling pathway in migraine-depressive comorbid model rats / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To observe the effects of Jieyu Zhitong Prescription on the behavior of migraine-depressed comorbid model rats; To explore its mechanism from the perspective of regulating brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/ERK1/2/cyclic adenosine responsive element binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway.Methods:Totally 36 SD male rats were divided into blank group, model group, nimodipine group and low-, medium-and high-dose group of Chinese medicine according to random number table method. The migraine-depressive comorbidity model was replicated by intermittent subcutaneous injection of nitroglycerin (10 mg/kg) and chronic unpredictable mild stimulation. Rats in each group were given corresponding drug intervention for 21 days, once a day. The weight of rats in each group before and on the 10th and 21st days after modeling was recorded. The threshold of mechanical pain was detected, and the behavior of rats was evaluated by open field test, forced swimming test, and novelty inhibition feeding test. The protein expressions of BDNF, TrKB, p-ERK1/2 and p-CREB in rat hippocampus were detected by Western blot.Results:On the 10th and 21st day of modeling intervention, compared with model group, the body weight, the scores of horizontal and vertical activity in open field experiment in each dose group of Chinese medicine increased ( P<0.05), and the latent time of novelty inhibition feeding and immobile time of forced swimming were shortened ( P<0.05). On the 7th, 14th and 21st days, compared with the model group at the same time point, the threshold of mechanical pain of rats in each dose group of Chinese medicine increased ( P<0.05). The expression of p-ERK1/2 protein increased in hippocampal tissue in each dose group of Chinese medicine ( P<0.05), and the expression of BDNF, TrkB, and p-CERB protein increased in the low- and high-dose group of Chinese medicine ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Jieyu Zhitong Prescription can significantly improve the symptoms of migraine-depressed comorbid rats, and its mechanism may be analgesic and antidepressant by affecting the expression of proteins in the BDNF/ERK1/2/CREB signaling pathway.

Ginsenoside Rg1 injection combined with inosine tablets and vitamin B1 for the treatment of primary retinitis pigmentosa / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To investigate the effects of ginsenoside Rg1 injection combined with inosine tablets and vitamin B1 on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide(PACAP)and clinical efficacy in primary retinitis pigmentosa.METHODS: A total of 50 patients(100 eyes)with primary retinitis pigmentosa who admitted to the Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from August 2019 to March 2022 were selected as the research object. They were divided into the study group and the control group according to random number table, with 50 eyes in each group. Patients in the control group were treated with inosine tablets and vitamin B1, while patients in the study group were treated with ginsenoside Rg1 injection on the basis of the control group. The expression of BDNF and PACAP in serum, electroretinogram and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)were compared before and after treatment, and the retinal thickness(RT), mean deviation(MD), clinical efficacy and safety indexes were compared between the two groups.RESULTS: There were no differences in the MD of the two groups before treatment(t=1.670, P=0.098), while the MD of the study group was significantly lower than that of the control group after treatment(t=3.628, P&#x003C;0.01). Before treatment, RT with a diameter of 1mm at the circle of macular fovea was compared between the two groups(t=0.108, P=0.914), it was significantly higher than that in the control group after treatment(t=6.125, P&#x003C;0.01). Before treatment, there was no significant difference in the results of dark adaptation of electroretinogram between the two groups(all P&#x003E;0.05). After treatment, the results of dark adaptation in the study group were significantly better than those in the control group(all P&#x003C;0.01). Before treatment, there was no significant difference in the results of electroretinogram adaptation between the two groups(all P&#x003E;0.05). After treatment, the results of electroretinogram adaptation in the study group were significantly better than those in the control group(all P&#x003C;0.01). There was no significant difference in BDNF and PACAP between the two groups before treatment(all P&#x003E;0.05). BDNF and PACAP in the study group were higher than those of the control group after treatment(all P&#x003C;0.01). After treatment, no adverse reactions were observed in both groups.CONCLUSION: The treatment of patients with primary retinitis pigmentosa with ginsenoside will improve the retinal function and promote the prognosis of the disease by regulating the expression of BDNF and PACAP, and it is highly safe.

Progress of cyclic adenosine monophosphate responsive element binding protein in the pathogenesis of drug-resistant epilepsy / 中华神经科杂志

Recent studies have found that in the development of epilepsy, cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) may cause recurrent epilepsy by inhibiting the expression of γ-aminobutyric acid, resulting in neuron damage and weakened effect of antiepileptic drug targets. Antiepileptic drugs can not control the extent or frequency of seizures, and then the patients are in a persistent state, hence the development of drug-resistant epilepsy. Therefore, the mechanism of CREB leading to drug-resistant epilepsy was reviewed in this paper, hoping to provide ideas for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy patients.

Role of P2X4R in maintenance of trigeminal neuralgia in rats: relationship with p38 MAPK/BDNF signaling pathway / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the role of P2X4 receptor (P2X4R) in the maintenance of trigeminal neuralgia and the relationship with p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK)/brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling pathway in rats.Methods:Forty-eight clean-grade healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 190-230 g, aged 2-3 months, were divided into 4 groups ( n=12 each) using a random number table method: sham operation group (S group), trigeminal neuralgia group (TN group), trigeminal neuralgia+ dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) group (TN+ DMSO group), and trigeminal neuralgia+ P2X4R specific antagonist 5-BDBD group (TN+ 5-BDBD group). The model was developed by chronic constriction of the infraorbital nerve. The infraorbital nerve was only exposed without ligation in group S. At 3, 7, 10 and 14 days after developing the model, 5 μg/μl 5-BDBD 10 μl was intrathecally injected in TN+ 5-BDBD group, and 2% DMSO 10 μl was intrathecally injected in TN+ DMSO group. The facial mechanical pain withdrawal threshold (MWT) was measured at 1 day before developing the model and 1, 3, 7, 10, 14 and 28 days after developing the model (T 0-6). The rats were sacrificed and the trigeminal ganglia were taken for determination of the expression of P2X4R, p38 MAPK, phosphorylated p38 MAPK (p-p38 MAPK) and BDNF (by Western blot) and contents of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Results:Compared with group S, the MWT was significantly decreased at T 1-6, the expression of P2X4R, p-p38 MAPK and BDNF in trigeminal ganglion was up-regulated, and the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were increased in TN group ( P<0.05). Compared with TN group, the MWT was significantly increased at T 3-6, and the expression of P2X4R, p-p38 MAPK and BDNF in trigeminal ganglion was down-regulated, and the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were decreased in TN+ 5-BDBD group ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the indexes mentioned above in TN+ DMSO group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:P2X4R is involved in the maintenance of trigeminal neuralgia in rats, which may be related to the activation of p38 MAPK/BDNF signaling pathway and the increase in inflammatory mediator release.

Areca catechu L.ameliorates chronic unpredictable mil stress-induced depression behavior in rats by the promotion of the BDNF signaling pathway / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigated the anti-de-pressant effects of the fruit Areca catechu L.(ACL)and elucidated its potential underlying mechanism using a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS).METHODS CUMS was induced in rats to establish a depression animal model for 28 d.According to the baseline sucrose preference,the male rats were divided into six different groups.They were treated with parox-etine hydrochloride,ACL,and water once a day until the behavioral tests were performed.The levels of corticoste-rone(CORT),malondialdehyde(MDA),catalase(CAT),and total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD)in serum were de-tected using a commercial kit,and the concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)and dopamine(DA)mono-amine neurotransmitters in the brain tissues were detect-ed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.Doublecortin(DCX)expression in the hippocampal den-tate gyrus(DG)was determined by immunofluorescence,and the relative abundance of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF),TrkB,PI3K,p-Akt/Akt,PSD-95,and p-GSK-3β/GSK-3β of brain tissues were assayed by West-ern blotting.RESULTS ACL markedly increased sucrose preference,decreased the immobility time,and short-ened the feeding latency of CUMS-induced rats.CUMS induction resulted in marked changes in the contents of the monoamine neurotransmitters(5-HT and DA)in the hippocampus and cortex of brain tissues and the levels of CORT,MDA,CAT,and T-SOD in serum,whereas ACL administration alleviated these considerable changes.ACL promoted DCX expression in DG and increased the protein levels of BDNF,TrkB,PI3K,p-Akt/Akt,PSD-95,and p-GSK-3β/GSK-3β in the brains of CUMS-induced rats.CONCLUSION Our results indicated that ACL may improve depression-like behaviors in CUMS-induced rats by decreasing the hyperfunction and oxidative stress of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis,stimulating hippo-campal neurogenesis,and activating the BDNF signaling pathway.

Meta-analysis of the association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor in peripheral blood and Alzheimer's disease / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To evaluate association of peripheral blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) with Alzheimer's disease (AD) .Methods:Databases including Pubmed, Cochrane library, Web of science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, CBM disc, VIP-CSTJ and Wanfang Data were used to collect case-control studies related to the concentration of BDNF in peripheral blood of dementia patients with Alzheimer's type(DAT) and mild cognitive impairment(MCI). After extracting data and appraising the quality of the included studies, meta-analysis were conducted using Review Manager 5.3 and CMA 3.0.Results:A total of 51 articles were included in the analysis, with a total subjects of 7 182, including 2 673 subjects in DAT group, 1 506 subjects in MCI group, and 3 003 subjects in control group.The Meta-analysis showed that the levels of peripheral blood BDNF in patients with DAT were significantly lower than normal control group(SMD=-0.71, 95% CI : -0.99--0.43, P<0.001) ( n=5 111), and there were no statistical differences in peripheral blood BDNF levels between MCI group and control group and between DAT group and MCI group.The subgroup analysis showed that the level of serum BDNF in patients with DAT (SMD=-0.85, 95% CI: -1.15--0.55, P<0.001)( n=4 425) and MCI(SMD=-0.38, 95% CI: -0.62--0.14, P=0.002)( n=2 476) was significantly lower than that in normal control group, and the level of serum BDNF (SMD=-0.76, 95% CI: -1.37--0.16), P=0.01)( n=1 630) in patients with DAT was lower than that in MCI; However, there were no statistical difference among DAT, MCI and control groups in the level of plasma BDNF( P>0.05). Conclusion:The patients with DAT and mild cognitive impairment have lower level of serum BDNF, which suggesting that serum BDNF level may be a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of AD.

Effects of tandospirone combined with venlafaxine on neurotransmitters and related factors in patients with comorbid anxiety and depression / 中国基层医药

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of tandospirone combined with venlafaxine in the treatment of comorbid anxiety and depression and its effects on neurotransmitters and related factors.Methods:A total of 92 patients with comorbid anxiety and depression who received treatment in the Second People's Hospital of Lishui between June 2019 and June 2020 were included in this study. They were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group ( n = 46/group). The control group was treated with venlafaxine, while the observation group was treated with tandospirone and venlafaxine. Before and after treatment, the scores of Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor, and adverse drug reactions were compared between the two groups. Results:At 4 and 8 weeks after treatment, HAMA scores in the observation group were (11.39 ± 3.11) points and (8.26 ± 2.18) points, respectively, which were significantly lower than (14.72 ± 3.57) points and (10.46 ± 2.37) points in the control group ( t = 4.77, 4.63, both P < 0.05). At 4 and 8 weeks after treatment, HAMD scores in the observation group were (15.95 ± 2.90) points and (9.33 ± 1.54) points, respectively, which were significantly lower than (17.43 ± 2.87) points and (13.28 ± 2.65) points in the control group ( t = 2.46, 8.74, both P < 0.05). After treatment, 5-hydroxytryptamine, nerve growth factor, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels in the observation group were (154.59 ± 45.26) μg/L, (13.62 ± 1.16) ng/L, (28.54 ± 2.33) ng/L, respectively, which were significantly higher than (129.99 ± 48.31) μg/L, (11.98 ± 1.04) ng/L, and (25.69 ± 2.51) ng/L in the control group ( t = 2.52, 7.14, 5.64, all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups ( χ2 = 0.81, P = 0.369). Conclusion:The adjuvant treatment with tandospirone can markedly improve anxiety and depression and protect neurological function of patients with comorbid anxiety and depression, and is highly safe.

Effect of Anmeidan on Serum Levels of BDNF， GFAP， and Irisin in Patients with Chronic Insomnia / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of Anmeidan on the sleep quality and serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP）， and irisin in the patients with chronic insomnia. MethodA multicenter， randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled clinical study was carried out， including 480 patients with chronic insomnia （deficiency syndrome） in Wuhan （Hubei）， Guangzhou （Guangdong）， and Lanzhou （Gansu）. They were randomized into an observation group and a control group at a ratio of 1∶1. The observation group was orally administered with Anmeidan granules at a dose of 11 g， 3 times per day， and the control group with Anmeidan simulant at a dose of 11 g， 3 times per day， Both groups of patients received sleep education after enrollment. After 4 weeks of medication， the Athens insomnia scale （AIS） scores， Spiegel scale scores， and serum levels of BDNF， GFAP， and irisin were compared between the two groups as well as between before and after treatment. ResultA total of 480 adult patients with chronic insomnia were enrolled in this study， with 64 patients falled off. Finally， the 415 patients were included in the analysis， including 213 patients in the observation group and 202 patients in the control group. There was no difference in age or sex between the two groups of patients. Compared with before treatment， the treatment in both groups decreased the AIS and Spiegel scores （P<0.01）. After treatment， the observation group had lower AIS and Spiegel scores than the control group （P<0.01）. The treatment in the observation group slightly lowered the level of BDNF， elevated the level of irisin （P<0.05）， and lowered the level of GFAP （P<0.05） in the serum. After treatment， the observation group showed higher level of irisin （P<0.05） and lower levels of BDNF and GFAP in the serum than the control group. ConclusionAnmeidan may improve the sleep quality of patients with chronic insomnia by elevating the irisin level and lowering the GFAP level in the serum.

Study on Role and Mechanism of Leptin and BDNF in DSS Induced Colitis in Mice / 胃肠病学

Background: Abnormal expression of leptin and brain⁃derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important link in the occurrence of ulcerative colitis (UC), but the mechanism of leptin and BDNF in UC is still unclear. Aims: To explore the effect and mechanism of leptin and BDNF in DSS induced colitis in mice. Methods: Thirty⁃six male 8⁃10 weeks healthy leptin⁃deficient ob mice and leptin⁃normal expressing wild type (WT) mice were selected and randomly divided into WT experimental group, ob experimental group, WT control group and ob control group. The mice in experimental groups were given 3% DSS solution for 7 days to induce colitis model, and the mice in control group were given distilled water. After modeling, disease activity index (DAI) score, colon length, behavior and visceral sensitivity were observed. The mRNA expressions of leptin and BDNF in colon and hippocampus were detected by real⁃time fluorescent quantitative PCR, and the protein expression of BDNF in colon was detected by Western blotting. Results: Compared with corresponding control groups, DAI score, visceral sensitivity in WT experimental group and ob experimental group were significantly increased (P< 0.05), mRNA and protein expressions of BDNF in colon were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with WT control group, anxiety and depression⁃like behavior were found in WT experimental group, mRNA expressions of leptin, BDNF in hippocampus were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that anxiety was positively correlated with length of colon in WT experimental group (P<0.05), and negatively correlated with DAI score (P<0.05); depression, expression of BDNF mRNA in colon were negatively correlated with length of colon (P<0.05), and positively correlated with DAI score (P<0.05); leptin in hippocampus was positively correlated with anxiety (P<0.05), while was negatively correlated with depression (P<0.05); expression of BDNF mRNA in colon was negatively correlated visceral sensitivity (P<0.05). Conclusions: Colonic BDNF secretion is associated with leptin expression, and both may be involved in the DSS⁃induced colitis in mice by mediating anxiety, depression and visceral sensitivity.

Continuous and Intermittent Exercise Upregulates PGC-1α/ Irisin / BDNF Expression to Improve Obesity-induced Cognitive Impairment in Mice / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

This study aimed to investigate the effects of exercise on prefrontal PGC-1α, Irisin, BDNF, oxidative stress, inflammation, and cognitive function in high-fat diet-induced obese mice, which may provide experimental evidence of exercise rehabilitation methods and target screening for obesity. Three-month-old male C57BL/ 6J wild-type mice were randomly divided into four groups: control, high-fat diet, high-fat diet with moderate intensity continuous training, and high-fat diet with high-intensity interval training group, with 10 mice in each group. The mice in the high-fat diet with moderate intensity continuous training group and the high-fat diet with high-intensity interval training group received 8 weeks of moderate-intensity continuous training or high-intensity interval training after 12-week high-fat feeding. Behavioral results showed that compared with the control group, reaction time of adhesive removal test was significantly increased (P<0. 01), and spontaneous alternation rate in Y-maze test and exploration time in the novel object recognition test were significantly decreased (P < 0. 01) in the high-fat diet group, indicating that high-fat diet led to cognitive dysfunction in mice. Results showed that compared with the control group, Nissl bodies dissolution and apoptosis were significantly increased (P<0. 01), levels of PGC-1α, Irisin, BDNF, IL-10, and T-SOD were significantly deceased (P<0. 05, P<0. 01), levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, NF-κB, cleaved Caspase-3, Bax/ Bcl-2, ROS, and MDA were significantly increased in the prefrontal lobe (P<0. 01), indicating that high-fat diet induced excessive inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, which were conducive to prefrontal lobe damage. Compared with the high-fat diet group, moderate intensity continuous or high-intensity interval training decresed reaction time of adhesive removal test (P<0. 01), increased spontaneous alternation rate of Y-maze test and exploration time of novel object recognition test (P<0. 05, P<0. 01), indicating that both continuous and interval training improved cognitive function in obese mice; meanwhile, Nissl bodies and levels of PGC-1α, Irisin, BDNF, IL-10, and T-SOD were significantly increased (P<0. 05, P<0. 01), and apoptosis and levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, NF-κB, cleaved Caspase-3, Bax/ Bcl-2, ROS, and MDA were significantly reduced in the prefrontal lobe (P<0. 01), indicating that both continuous and interval training alleviated obesity-induced inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in the prefrontal lobe. Both continuous and interval training significantly upregulated PGC-1α/ Irisin/ BDNF expression in the prefrontal lobe of obese mice, inhibited oxidative stress and inflammation, reduced apoptosis, and resulted in alleviating obesity-induced prefrontal lobe damage and cognitive dysfunction; morevover, interval training better than continuous.

Effects of estradiol on depressive-like behavior of ovariectomized rats and its possible mechanism / 解剖学报

Objective To examine the effect of estradiol (E2) treatment on ovariectomy (OVX) induced depressive-like behavior and possible mechanism by measuring inflammatory biomarkers levels oi interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis tactor-(x (TNF-ot) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in amygdaia nucleus. Methods Thirty nine healthy aduit 缶male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups : sham operation group (SO), ovariectomized group (OVX) and ovariectomized estradiol treatment group (OVX + E2). After 6 weeks of E2 treatment, depressive like behavior was evaluated by opening field test (OFT) and sugar water preference test (SPT). The levels of inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-a in amygdala were measured by ELESA, and the expression of BDNF in rat amygdala was detected by immunohistochemical staining. Results The result of the SPT showed that OVX significantly decreased the sugar intake and sugar preference rate of rats, and E2 treatment significantly increased sugar water intake and sugar water preference rate of rats. The result of the OFT showed that OVX significantly decreased the numbers of crossing and rearing of rats, and reduced the time spent in the centre ; E2 treatment significantly increased the numbers of crossing and rearing of rats, and prolonged the time spent in the centre. ELESA and immunohistochemical analysis found the levels of IL-6 and TNF-a in amygdala increased significantly, while the average absorbance (AA) of BDNF in the amygdala reduced significantly (P<0.01 respectively) of rats in OVX group when compared with the SO group. And the levels of IL-6 and TNF-a in amygdala decreased significantly (P<0.01 respectively), while the A4 of BDNF increased significantly (P< 0.05) in the amygdala of rats in the OVX+EX group when compared with the OVX group. The difference was statistically significant. Conclusion E2 treatment improved depression-like behavior of OVX rats is partly due to increased antiinflammatory and activated the BDNF expression in amygdaloid nucleus, thus enhancing the neuroprotective effect of OVX rats.