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Caffeic acid attenuates the decrease of cortical BDNF transcript IV mRNA induced by swim stress in wild-type but not
Svetlana Dzitoyeva1, Marta Imbesi, Tolga Uz
1Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Institute, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Journal of Neural Transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996)
|February 29, 2008
Summary
Caffeic acid, a 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibitor, showed antidepressant effects in mice by preserving brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. This effect was dependent on 5-LOX, indicating its role in regulating BDNF.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Caffeic acid is a natural polyphenol with known 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibitory properties.
- Previous studies indicate caffeic acid exhibits antidepressant-like effects in mice.
- Stress, such as forced swimming, can decrease brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA levels in the cortex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) in the regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression.
- To determine if caffeic acid's antidepressant-like effects are mediated through 5-LOX and its impact on BDNF.
Main Methods:
- Utilized wild-type and 5-lipoxygenase-deficient (5-LOX-/-) mice.
- Administered forced swimming stress to induce changes in BDNF mRNA.
- Quantified cortical levels of BDNF mRNA, specifically focusing on exon IV and exon I transcripts.
- Assessed the effect of caffeic acid administration on BDNF mRNA levels in both mouse models.
Main Results:
- Forced swimming stress significantly reduced cortical BDNF exon IV mRNA levels in wild-type mice, but not exon I mRNA.
- Caffeic acid administration attenuated the decrease in BDNF exon IV mRNA in wild-type mice subjected to swimming stress.
- This attenuation by caffeic acid was not observed in 5-LOX-deficient mice, indicating a dependence on 5-LOX activity.
Conclusions:
- 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) plays a crucial role in the regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) exon IV mRNA expression.
- Caffeic acid's antidepressant-like effects appear to be mediated, at least in part, through a 5-LOX-dependent mechanism involving the preservation of BDNF levels.
