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Chen Y, Chen X, Zhang J, Zhang X, Wang D, Lu N, Wang C, Yue Y, Yuan Y. Network pharmacology and experimental evidence: ERK/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway is involved in the antidepressive roles of Kaiyu Zhishen decoction. J Ethnopharmacol 2024; 329:118098. [PMID: 38582152 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) emerges as a complex psychosomatic condition, notable for its considerable suicidality and mortality rates. Increasing evidence suggests the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine in mitigating depression symptoms and offsetting the adverse effects associated with conventional Western therapeutics. Notably, clinical trials have revealed the adjunctive antidepressant potential of Kaiyu Zhishen Decoction (KZD) alongside Western medication. However, the standalone antidepressant efficacy of KZD and its underlying mechanisms merit in-depth investigation. AIM OF THE STUDY This research aims to elucidate the impact of KZD on MDD and delineate its mechanistic pathways through integrated network pharmacological assessments and empirical in vitro and in vivo analyses. MATERIALS AND METHODS To ascertain the optimal antidepressant dosage and mechanism of KZD, a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS)-induced depression model in mice was established to evaluate depressive behaviors. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and network pharmacological approaches were employed to predict KZD's antidepressant mechanisms. Subsequently, hippocampal samples were subjected to 4D-DIA proteomic sequencing and validated through Western blot, immunofluorescence, Nissl staining, and pathway antagonist applications. Additionally, cortisol-stimulated PC12 cells were utilized to simulate neuronal damage, analyzing protein and mRNA levels of MAPK-related signals and cell proliferation markers. RESULTS The integration of network pharmacology and HPLC identified kaempferol and quercetin as KZD's principal active compounds for MDD treatment. Proteomic and network pharmacological KEGG pathway analyses indicated the MAPK signaling pathway as a critical regulatory mechanism for KZD's therapeutic effect on MDD. KZD was observed to mitigate CUMS-induced upregulation of p-ERK/ERK, CREB, and BDNF protein expressions in hippocampal cells by attenuating oxidative stress, thereby ameliorating neuronal damage and exerting antidepressant effects. The administration of PD98059 counteracted KZD's improvements in depression-like behaviors and downregulated p-ERK/ERK and BDNF protein expressions in the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS This investigation corroborates KZD's pivotal, dose-dependent role in antidepressant activity. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate KZD's capacity to modulate the ERK-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway by diminishing ROS expression induced by oxidative stress, enhancing neuronal repair, and thus, manifesting antidepressant properties. Accordingly, KZD represents a promising herbal candidate for further antidepressant research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Institute of Psychosomatics, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China
| | - Xiangxu Chen
- Department of Orthopaedics, ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jialin Zhang
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Institute of Psychosomatics, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China
| | - Xuejun Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics, ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Institute of Psychosomatics, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China
| | - Na Lu
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Institute of Psychosomatics, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China
| | - Changsong Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine of Chinese Medicine, ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yingying Yue
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Institute of Psychosomatics, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China.
| | - Yonggui Yuan
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychiatry, ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; Institute of Psychosomatics, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210009, China.
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Li C, Xu X, Zhang X, Cheng K, Guo Y, Jie J, Guo H, He Y, Zhou C, Gui S, Zhong X, Wang H, Xie P. Activation of ERK/CREB/BDNF pathway involved in abnormal behavior of neonatally Borna virus-infected rats. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2018; 14:3121-3132. [PMID: 30532543 PMCID: PMC6247968 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s176399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuropsychiatric disorders are devastating illnesses worldwide; however, the potential involvement of viruses in the pathophysiological mechanisms of psychiatric diseases have not been clearly elucidated. Borna disease virus (BDV) is a neurotropic, noncytopathic RNA virus. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this study, we infected neonatal rats intracranially with BDV Hu-H1 and Strain V within 24 hours of birth. Psychological phenotypes were assessed using sucrose preference test, open field test, elevated plus maze test, and forced swim test. The protein expression of ERK/CREB/BDNF pathway was assessed by Western blotting of in vitro and in vivo samples. RESULTS Hu-H1-infected rats showed anxiety-like behavior 8 weeks postinfection while Strain V-infected rats demonstrated a certain abnormal behavior. Phosphorylated ERK1/2 was significantly upregulated in the hippocampi of Strain V- and Hu-H1-infected rats compared with control rats, indicating that Raf/MEK/ERK signaling was activated. CONCLUSION The data suggested that infection of neonatal rats with BDV Hu-H1 and Strain V caused behavioral abnormalities that shared common molecular pathways, providing preliminary evidences to investigate the underlying mechanisms of psychiatric disorders caused by BDV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenmeng Li
- Department of Neurology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402460, China, .,Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Xiaoyan Xu
- Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Xiong Zhang
- Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Ke Cheng
- Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Yujie Guo
- Department of Neurology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402460, China, .,Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Jie Jie
- Department of Neurology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402460, China, .,Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Hua Guo
- Department of Neurology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402460, China, .,Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Yong He
- Department of Neurology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402460, China, .,Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Chanjuan Zhou
- Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Siwen Gui
- Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Xiaogang Zhong
- Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Haiyang Wang
- Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China,
| | - Peng Xie
- Department of Neurology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 402460, China, .,Department of Neurology Institute of Neuroscience and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Chongqing 400016, China, .,Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China,
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