Matrine alleviates neurobehavioral alterations via modulation of JNK-mediated caspase-3 and BDNF/VEGF signaling in a mouse model of burn injury

The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway and neurotrophic factor dysregulation play a critical role in the pathogenesis of neurobehavioral disorders (anxiety and depression). Targeting the JNK pathway and BDNF/VEGF signaling may signify a new avenue for the treatment of neurobehavioral disorders. The present study investigated the effect of matrine (Mat) against anxiety- and depressive-like emotional status in an acute mouse model of burn injury and explores its underlying mechanism. In the mouse model of thermal injury, anxiety- and depression-related behaviors were evaluated using the elevated plus-maze test, the light-dark box test, the open-field test, the forced swimming test, and the tail suspension test. The JNK/caspase-3 and BDNF/VEGF proteins were determined by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, proinflammatory cytokine, antioxidant, nitric oxide, and corticosterone levels were also measured. The results showed that treatment with Mat significantly improves anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. It remarkably reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of a mouse brain. It considerably improved burn-induced alteration in the antioxidant status, corticosterone, and BDNF/VEGF. It also inhibited burn-induced apoptotic signaling by downregulating the expression of JNK/caspase-3. Similarly, it prevented DNA damage and histopathological changes in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Furthermore, molecular docking results showed that Mat possess better binding affinity for JNK/caspase-3 and BDNF/VEGF proteins. These findings provide convincing evidence that Mat improves anxiety- and depressive-like emotional status through modulation of JNK-mediated inflammatory, oxidative stress, apoptotic, and BDNF/VEGF signaling in an acute mouse model of burn injury.