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Author Spotlight: Exploring Macrophage Immunometabolism Through Lentiviral Vector-Mediated Gene Manipulation
Published on: February 16, 2024
Hippocampal FXR plays a role in the pathogenesis of depression: A preliminary study based on lentiviral gene
Wei-Guan Chen1, Jia-Xuan Zheng1, Xi Xu1
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, PR China.
Abstract:
As a well-known bile acid receptor, the role of Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in the digestive system and cardiovascular system has been widely explored. However, there are very few studies involving FXR in the central nervous system. In this study, we explored the role of FXR in the pathogenesis of depression, a serious and worldwide neuropsychiatric disease. It was found that chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) fully enhanced the protein and mRNA expressions of FXR in hippocampus, but not medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Overexpression of hippocampal FXR induced notable depressive-like behaviors and decreased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in naïve rats, while knockdown of hippocampal FXR fully prevented the effects of CUMS on rat behaviors and hippocampal BDNF expression. Taken together, our research extends the knowledge of FXR's role in the central nervous system, and may provide a potential and novel therapeutic target for treating depression.
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