Uncaria rhynchophylla ameliorates unpredictable chronic mild stress-induced depression in mice via activating 5-HT 1A receptor: Insights from transcriptomics.

Background: Depression is a pervasive or persistent mental disorder that causes mood, cognitive and memory deficits. Uncaria rhynchophylla has been widely used to treat central nervous system diseases for a long history, although its efficacy and potential mechanism are still uncertain.
Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate anti-depression effect and potential mechanism of U. rhynchophylla extract (URE).
Study Design and Methods: A mouse depression model was established using unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). Effects of URE on depression-like behaviours, neurotransmitters, and neuroendocrine hormones were investigated in UCMS-induced mice. The potential target of URE was analyzed by transcriptomics and bioinformatics methods and validated by RT-PCR and Western blot. The agonistic effect on 5-HT _1A receptor was assayed by dual-luciferase reporter system.
Results: URE ameliorated depression-like behaviours, and modulated levels of neurotransmitters and neuroendocrine hormones, including 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA), dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), corticosterone (CORT), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), in UCMS-induced mice. Transcriptomics and bioinformatics results indicated that URE could regulate glutamatergic, cholinergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic systems, especially neuroactive ligand-receptor and cAMP signaling pathways, revealing that Htr1a encoding 5-HT _1A receptor was a potential target of URE. The expression levels of downstream proteins of 5-HT _1A signaling pathway 5-HT _1A , CREB, BDNF, and PKA were increased in UCMS-induced mice after URE administration, and URE also displayed an agonistic effect against 5-HT _1A receptor with an EC ₅₀ value of 17.42 μg/ml.
Conclusion: U. rhynchophylla ameliorated depression-like behaviours in UCMS-induced mice through activating 5-HT _1A receptor.
(Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)