Exploring the role of esketamine in alleviating depressive symptoms in mice via the PGC-1α/irisin/ERK1/2 signaling pathway

Abstract

Esketamine provides an immediate and noticeable antidepressant effect, although the underlying molecular processes are yet unclear. Irisin induced by aerobic exercise has been implicated in the alleviation of depressive symptoms, whether irisin expression responds to the administration of esketamine remains unknown. In this study, we found that irisin was reduced in the hippocampus and peripheral blood of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mice, whereas the irisin level was rescued by esketamine treatment. The reduction of PGC-1α expression (transcriptional regulator of irisin gene expression) in the CUMS mice was rescued by esketamine treatment, PGC-1α knockdown significantly reduced the irisin level induced by esketamine. Additionally, FNDC5/irisin-knockout mice developed more severe depressant-like behaviors than wild-type mice under CUMS stimulation, with an attenuated the antidepressant effect of esketamine. Further research indicated that irisin-mediated modulation of esketamine on depressive-like behaviors in CUMS mice involved the ERK1/2 pathway. Overall, the PGC-1α/irisin/ERK1/2 signaling activation may be a new mechanism underlying the antidepressant activity of esketamine, denoting that irisin may be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of depression.

Mitochondria in depression: The dysfunction of mitochondrial energy metabolism and quality control systems

“…Similarly, Wu et al 53 have reported that the expression of PGC-1α is decreased in the hippocampus of CUMS rats, and curcumin, a traditional Chinese medicine ingredient, is able to alleviate the depression-like behavior by enhancing the expression of PGC-1α and promoting mitochondrial biogenesis. The study by Hu et al 74 also demonstrated that the novel antidepressant Esketamine could provide an noticeable antidepressant effect through activating PGC-1α/ irisin/ERK1/2 signaling pathway in the hippocampus of CUMS mice.…”