Differential expression of Dusp1 and immediate early response genes in the hippocampus of rats, subjected to forced swim test

Abstract

The forced swim test (FST) is widely used to screen for potential antidepressant drugs and treatments. Despite this, the nature of stillness during FST and whether it resembles “depressive-like behavior” are widely debated issues. Furthermore, despite being widely used as a behavioral assay, the effects of the FST on the brain transcriptome are rarely investigated. Therefore, in this study we have investigated changes in the transcriptome of the rat hippocampus 20 min and 24 h after FST exposure. RNA-Seq is performed on the hippocampus tissues of rats 20 min and 24 h after an FST. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using limma and used to construct gene interaction networks. Fourteen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified only in the 20-m group. No DEGs were identified 24 h after the FST. These genes were used for Gene Ontology term enrichment and gene-network construction. Based on the constructed gene-interaction networks, we identified a group of DEGs (Dusp1, Fos, Klf2, Ccn1, and Zfp36) that appeared significant based on multiple methods of downstream analysis. Dusp1 appears especially important, as its role in the pathogenesis of depression has been demonstrated both in various animal models of depression and in patients with depressive disorders.

Zhi Zi Chi decoction (Gardeniae fructus and semen Sojae Praeparatum) attenuates anxious depression via modulating microbiota–gut–brain axis in corticosterone combined with chronic restraint stress‐induced mice

“…53 Overexpression of Dusp1 is vital to the physiology of stress and linked to a depressive-like phenotype, which is a common feature of various rodent chronicstress-based models of depression. 54 In the intestinal flora analysis for the ZZCD anti-depression and anxiety effect we found a significant increase in alpha index in the Model group, ZZCD group and Ven group suggesting successful establishment of animal models. At the genus level ZZCD increased the abundance of those probiotics like Corynebacterium, Allobaculum, Lactobacillus, Acinetobacter, and Prevotella for depression.…”

“… 53 Overexpression of Dusp1 is vital to the physiology of stress and linked to a depressive‐like phenotype, which is a common feature of various rodent chronic‐stress‐based models of depression. 54 …”