[Blood serum corticosterone level in modeling depression-like states in rats]

In two models of depression-like state--"behavioral despair" and experimental dopamine deficit-dependent MPTP-induced depression-like syndrome--as well as in a model of anxiety-depression-like state induced by dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor methionyl-2(s)-cyanopyrrolidine administered in early postnatal period, the symptoms of behavioral depression in rats in the forced swim test were accompanied by the increase of corticosterone level in blood serum. In every model non-competitive prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) inhibitor benzyloxycarbonyl-methionyl-2(S)-cyanopyrrolidine showed antidepressant-like properties preventing the development of depressive-like behavior. PEP Inhibitor also prevented the increase of serum corticosterone level in the models of "behavioral despair" and anxiety-depressive state, but not in the model of MPTP-induced depression-like syndrome. These findings testify for the involvement of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system in the implementation of depression-like behavior in the specified models of depression-like state.