Essential amino acids(EAAs)are crucial nutrients,whose levels change in rodents and patients with depression.However,how the levels of a single EAA affects depressive behaviors remains elusive.Here,we demonstrate that...Essential amino acids(EAAs)are crucial nutrients,whose levels change in rodents and patients with depression.However,how the levels of a single EAA affects depressive behaviors remains elusive.Here,we demonstrate that although deprivation of the EAA leucine has no effect in unstressed mice,it remarkably reverses the depression-like behaviors induced by chronic restraint stress(CRS).This beneficial effect is independent of feeding and is applicable to the dietary deficiency of other EAAs.Furthermore,the effect of leucine deprivation is suppressed by central injection of leucine or mimicked by central injection of leucinol.Moreover,hypothalamic agouti-related peptide(AgRP)neural activity changes during CRS and leucine deprivation,and chemogenetically inhibiting AgRP neurons eliminates the antidepressant effects of leucine deprivation.Finally,the leucine deprivation-regulated behavioral effects are mediated by amino acid sensor general control non-derepressible 2(GCN2)in AgRP neurons.Taken together,our results suggest a new drug target and/or dietary intervention for the reduction of depressive symptoms.展开更多
脊椎动物下丘脑中的神经肽Y(Neuropeptide Y,NPY)、GALANIN和GMAP蛋白前体(GALANIN and GMAP prepropeptide,GAL)、Agouti相关蛋白(Agouti related neuropeptide,AGRP)和阿片促黑色素原(Proopiomelanocortin,POMC)与摄食密切相关,但在...脊椎动物下丘脑中的神经肽Y(Neuropeptide Y,NPY)、GALANIN和GMAP蛋白前体(GALANIN and GMAP prepropeptide,GAL)、Agouti相关蛋白(Agouti related neuropeptide,AGRP)和阿片促黑色素原(Proopiomelanocortin,POMC)与摄食密切相关,但在斑马鱼中对这些神经肽与摄食之间关系的研究较少。本文通过原位杂交技术和实时定量PCR方法,观察饥饿1 d、饥饿2 d和饥饿2 d喂食2 d后斑马鱼下丘脑中npy、galanin、agrp和pomca的表达情况。结果显示,饥饿处理之后,agrp和galanin在斑马鱼下丘脑中的表达量显著上升(P<0.05)。与对照组相比,饥饿2 d后斑马鱼下丘脑中pomca表达量显著下降(P<0.05)。饥饿2 d喂食2 d后斑马鱼下丘脑中pomca、agrp和galanin的表达量与对照组相比没有显著性差异。所有实验中npy在斑马鱼下丘脑中的表达没有显著性差异。这表明饥饿处理促使斑马鱼下丘脑中agrp和galanin表达上调,pomca表达下调;及时摄食可以恢复agrp、galanin和pomca在下丘脑中的表达水平。展开更多
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31830044,91957207,81870592,82270905,81970742,82000764,82170868,and 81970731)The National Key R&D Program of China(grant 2018YFA0800600).
文摘Essential amino acids(EAAs)are crucial nutrients,whose levels change in rodents and patients with depression.However,how the levels of a single EAA affects depressive behaviors remains elusive.Here,we demonstrate that although deprivation of the EAA leucine has no effect in unstressed mice,it remarkably reverses the depression-like behaviors induced by chronic restraint stress(CRS).This beneficial effect is independent of feeding and is applicable to the dietary deficiency of other EAAs.Furthermore,the effect of leucine deprivation is suppressed by central injection of leucine or mimicked by central injection of leucinol.Moreover,hypothalamic agouti-related peptide(AgRP)neural activity changes during CRS and leucine deprivation,and chemogenetically inhibiting AgRP neurons eliminates the antidepressant effects of leucine deprivation.Finally,the leucine deprivation-regulated behavioral effects are mediated by amino acid sensor general control non-derepressible 2(GCN2)in AgRP neurons.Taken together,our results suggest a new drug target and/or dietary intervention for the reduction of depressive symptoms.
