Electroacupuncture improves depression with constipation by balancing gut microbiota in WKY rats

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Microbiology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• The gut microbiota plays a critical role in the development of depression.
• Depression is often comorbid with gastrointestinal dysfunction, such as constipation.
• The Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat is a recognized animal model for studying depression and constipation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the gut microbial community structure in WKY rats.
• To determine the impact of microbiota modulation on depressive behaviors and gastrointestinal function.
• To explore the therapeutic effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and electroacupuncture (EA) on depression and constipation.

Main Methods:

• 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze gut microbial composition.
• Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed between WKY and Wistar rats.
• Depressive-like behaviors, gut motility, and colonic ultrastructure were assessed.
• Electroacupuncture (EA) was applied to WKY rats.

Main Results:

• WKY rats showed altered gut microbiota with increased Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Desulfobacterota, and decreased Firmicutes compared to Wistar rats.
• FMT from Wistar rats to WKY rats improved depressive behaviors and normalized gut motility.
• FMT from WKY rats to Wistar rats induced depression-like phenotypes and impaired intestinal function.
• EA treatment alleviated depressive behaviors, improved colonic epithelial ultrastructure, and rebalanced gut microbiota in WKY rats.

Conclusions:

• Gut microbiota dysbiosis is implicated in the pathogenesis of depression and constipation in WKY rats.
• Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and electroacupuncture (EA) are effective therapeutic strategies for ameliorating depressive behaviors and constipation.
• Electroacupuncture (EA) may exert its therapeutic effects by modulating the gut microbiota, suggesting a gut-brain axis connection in depression treatment.