Depression-like behaviors are accompanied by disrupted mitochondrial energy metabolism in chronic corticosterone-induced mice

Publication date: Available online 8 February 2020Source: The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyAuthor(s): Xiaoxian Xie, Qichen Shen, Chunan Yu, Qingfeng Xiao, Jiafeng Zhou, Ze Xiong, Zezhi Li, Zhengwei FuAbstractStress exerts its negative effects by interference with mitochondrial energy production in rodents, and is able to impair mitochondrial bioenergetics. However, the underlying mechanism that stress hormone impacts depression-like behaviors and mitochondrial energy metabolism is still not well understood. Here, we investigated the changes of depression-like behaviors and mitochondrial energy metabolism induced by chronic corticosterone (CORT). The results showed that after treatment with CORT for 6 weeks, mice displayed depression-like behaviors, which were identified by tail suspension test, forced swimming test and open field test. Then, the livers were isolated and tested by RNA sequencing and metabolome analysis. RNA sequencing showed 354 up-regulated genes and 284 down-regulated genes, and metabolome analysis revealed 280 metabolites with increased abundances and 193 metabolites with reduced abundances in the liver of mice after CORT, which were closely associated with lipid metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria. Based on these findings, the changes of mitochondrial energy metabolism were investigated, and we revealed that CORT condition inhibited glycolysis and fatty acid degradation pathway, and activated synthesis of triacy...

Source: The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - February 9, 2020 Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research