Astrocytic Epoxyeicosatrienoic Acid Signaling in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Modulates Depressive-like Behaviors. 2019

Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
Institute of Mental Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.

Major depressive disorder is the most common mental illness. Mounting evidence indicates that astrocytes play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of depression; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Compared with other neuronal cell types, astrocytes are enriched for arachidonic acid metabolism. Herein, we observed brain-region-specific alterations of epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET) signaling, which is an arachidonic acid metabolic pathway, in both a mouse model of depression and postmortem samples from patients with depression. The enzymatic activity of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), the key enzyme in EET signaling, was selectively increased in the mPFC of susceptible mice after chronic social defeated stress and was negatively correlated with the social interaction ratio, which is an indicator of depressive-like behavior. The specific deletion of Ephx2 (encode sEH) in adult astrocytes induced resilience to stress, whereas the impaired EET signaling in the mPFC evoked depressive-like behaviors in response to stress. sEH was mainly expressed on lysosomes of astrocytes. Using pharmacological and genetic approaches performed on C57BL/6J background adult male mice, we found that EET signaling modulated astrocytic ATP release in vitro and in vivo Moreover, astrocytic ATP release was required for the antidepressant-like effect of Ephx2 deletion in adult astrocytes. In addition, sEH inhibitors produced rapid antidepressant-like effects in multiple animal models of depression, including chronic social defeated stress and chronic mild stress. Together, our results highlight that EET signaling in astrocytes in the mPFC is essential for behavioral adaptation in response to psychiatric stress.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Astrocytes, the most abundant glial cells of the brain, play a vital role in the pathophysiology of depression. Astrocytes secrete adenosine ATP, which modulates depressive-like behaviors. Notably, astrocytes are enriched for arachidonic acid metabolism. In the present study, we explored the hypothesis that epoxyeicosatrienoic acid signaling, an arachidonic acid metabolic pathway, modulates astrocytic ATP release and the expression of depressive-like behaviors. Our work demonstrated that epoxyeicosatrienoic acid signaling in astrocytes in the mPFC is essential for behavioral homeostatic adaptation in response to stress, and the extent of astrocyte functioning is greater than expected based on earlier reports.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008810 Mice, Inbred C57BL One of the first INBRED MOUSE STRAINS to be sequenced. This strain is commonly used as genetic background for transgenic mouse models. Refractory to many tumors, this strain is also preferred model for studying role of genetic variations in development of diseases. Mice, C57BL,Mouse, C57BL,Mouse, Inbred C57BL,C57BL Mice,C57BL Mice, Inbred,C57BL Mouse,C57BL Mouse, Inbred,Inbred C57BL Mice,Inbred C57BL Mouse
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D001923 Brain Chemistry Changes in the amounts of various chemicals (neurotransmitters, receptors, enzymes, and other metabolites) specific to the area of the central nervous system contained within the head. These are monitored over time, during sensory stimulation, or under different disease states. Chemistry, Brain,Brain Chemistries,Chemistries, Brain
D002478 Cells, Cultured Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others. Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D003865 Depressive Disorder, Major Disorder in which five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure. Symptoms include: depressed mood most of the day, nearly every daily; markedly diminished interest or pleasure in activities most of the day, nearly every day; significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain; Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day; psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day; fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day; feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt; diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day; or recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt. (DSM-5) Depression, Involutional,Major Depressive Disorder,Melancholia, Involutional,Paraphrenia, Involutional,Psychosis, Involutional,Depressive Disorders, Major,Involutional Depression,Involutional Melancholia,Involutional Paraphrenia,Involutional Paraphrenias,Involutional Psychoses,Involutional Psychosis,Major Depressive Disorders,Paraphrenias, Involutional,Psychoses, Involutional
D004195 Disease Models, Animal Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases. Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D004311 Double-Blind Method A method of studying a drug or procedure in which both the subjects and investigators are kept unaware of who is actually getting which specific treatment. Double-Masked Study,Double-Blind Study,Double-Masked Method,Double Blind Method,Double Blind Study,Double Masked Method,Double Masked Study,Double-Blind Methods,Double-Blind Studies,Double-Masked Methods,Double-Masked Studies,Method, Double-Blind,Method, Double-Masked,Methods, Double-Blind,Methods, Double-Masked,Studies, Double-Blind,Studies, Double-Masked,Study, Double-Blind,Study, Double-Masked
D004851 Epoxide Hydrolases Enzymes that catalyze reversibly the formation of an epoxide or arene oxide from a glycol or aromatic diol, respectively. Epoxide Hydrase,Epoxide Hydrases,Epoxide Hydratase,Epoxide Hydratases,Epoxide Hydrolase,9,10-Epoxypalmitic Acid Hydrase,Microsomal Epoxide Hydrolase,Styrene Epoxide Hydrolase,9,10 Epoxypalmitic Acid Hydrase,Acid Hydrase, 9,10-Epoxypalmitic,Epoxide Hydrolase, Microsomal,Epoxide Hydrolase, Styrene,Hydrase, 9,10-Epoxypalmitic Acid,Hydrase, Epoxide,Hydrases, Epoxide,Hydratase, Epoxide,Hydratases, Epoxide,Hydrolase, Epoxide,Hydrolase, Microsomal Epoxide,Hydrolase, Styrene Epoxide,Hydrolases, Epoxide
D005822 Genetic Vectors DNA molecules capable of autonomous replication within a host cell and into which other DNA sequences can be inserted and thus amplified. Many are derived from PLASMIDS; BACTERIOPHAGES; or VIRUSES. They are used for transporting foreign genes into recipient cells. Genetic vectors possess a functional replicator site and contain GENETIC MARKERS to facilitate their selective recognition. Cloning Vectors,Shuttle Vectors,Vectors, Genetic,Cloning Vector,Genetic Vector,Shuttle Vector,Vector, Cloning,Vector, Genetic,Vector, Shuttle,Vectors, Cloning,Vectors, Shuttle

Related Publications

Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
May 2024, Progress in neurobiology,
Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
June 2022, Journal of neuroinflammation,
Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
June 2020, Molecular brain,
Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
October 2019, Behavioural brain research,
Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
August 2022, Biological psychiatry,
Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
November 2021, Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987),
Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
April 2012, Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology,
Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
November 2008, Biological psychiatry,
Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
September 2015, eLife,
Wenchao Xiong, and Xiong Cao, and Yuanning Zeng, and Xihe Qin, and Minzhen Zhu, and Jing Ren, and Zhou Wu, and Qiyuan Huang, and Yuan Zhang, and Mengyao Wang, and Lianwan Chen, and Gustavo Turecki, and Naguib Mechawar, and Wenjun Chen, and Guoliang Yi, and Xinhong Zhu
August 2022, The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience,
Copied contents to your clipboard!