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Updated: Dec 14, 2025
The Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Inducing Anhedonia in Mice
Published on: October 24, 2018
hUC-MSCs ameliorated CUMS-induced depression by modulating complement C3 signaling-mediated microglial polarization
Jing Li1, Hualong Wang1, Chongbo Du1
1Department of Neurology, the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050017, China; Brain Aging and Cognitive Neuroscience Key Laboratory of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050017, China.
Background:
Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been shown to be related to immune inflammation and the complement system. Previous studies have suggested that human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) play an important role in inflammatory diseases.
Methods:
hUC-MSCs were administered into chronic unpredictable mild stress model (CUMS) mice through the tail vein once a week for 4 weeks. After the administration of hUC-MSCs, the depression-like and anxiety-like phenotypes, neuronal histopathology, synaptic-related protein expression and inflammatory index of the mice were assessed. Microglial M1/M2 polarization and the expression of C3a in astrocytes and C3aR in microglia was detected by immunofluorescence co-localization. Then, CUMS mice were injected with a C3aR antagonist, and the expression of C3a and C3aR and microglial polarization were observed.
Results:
Based on the sucrose preference and tail suspension tests, hUC-MSCs ameliorated the depression-like behaviors of CUMS mice. Additionally, the anxiety-like behaviors of CUMS mice in the open-field and plus-maze tests were improved after the administration of hUC-MSCs. hUC-MSCs altered microglia polarization by alleviating complement C3a-C3aR signaling activation, which decreased pro-inflammatory factor levels and increased anti-inflammatory factor levels, alleviating neuronal damage and synaptic deficits.
Conclusion:
hUC-MSCs have therapeutic effects on anxiety-like and depressive-like phenotypes caused by CUMS. They can alter the polarization of microglia by inhibiting C3a-C3aR signaling to reduce neuroinflammation.
