Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 18, 2025

Network Pharmacology Prediction and Metabolomics Validation of the Mechanism of Fructus Phyllanthi against Hyperlipidemia
Published on: April 7, 2023
Paroxetine binding and activation of phosphofructokinase implicates energy metabolism in antidepressant mode of
Dong Ik Park1, Božidar Novak2, Yu Yan2
1Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany; Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; The Danish National Research Foundation Center, PROMEMO, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Abstract:
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the predominant drugs prescribed for Major Depressive Disorder. The immediate pharmacological target of SSRIs is the serotonin transporter. However, the delayed therapeutic effect and high rate of patient non-response make it highly likely that SSRIs also have other molecular targets that are yet to be identified. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) is a method based on thermal stabilization of target proteins upon drug binding. In the present study, we show that the SSRI paroxetine binds to phosphofructokinase (PFK) protein using CETSA. We found that mouse brain PFK and recombinant human PFK proteins are stabilized by paroxetine incubation. Chronic paroxetine treatment also significantly increased mouse brain PFK thermal stability. Paroxetine significantly elevated in vitro and in vivo PFK activity. Levels of several metabolites in glutamate- and energy metabolism-related pathways are significantly correlated with PFK activity in mouse hippocampus. Our data show that paroxetine can bind to PFK and affect its activity. Implications of these results for the antidepressant mode of action of paroxetine are discussed.
More Related Videos
08:15Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model
Published on: June 6, 2025
08:49Fluorescence-Based Measurements of Phosphatidylserine/Phosphatidylinositol 4-Phosphate Exchange Between Membranes
Published on: March 14, 2021
Related Concept Videos
cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Pathways
Nonlinear Pharmacokinetics: Dependence of Elimination Half-Life and Dose Clearance
A study on guinea pigs examined the...
G-protein Coupled Receptors
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
Antidepressant Drugs: Overview
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
Major types that are helpful drug targets include: