Mobilization of the innate immune response by a specific immunostimulant β-glucan confers resistance to chronic stress-induced depression-like behavior by preventing neuroinflammatory responses

Chronic Stress-Induced Neuroinflammation: Relevance of Rodent Models to Human Disease

“…Chronic stimulation of the innate immune response can lead to inflammation-mediated depression; however, pre-stimulation of the innate immune response has been effective in preventing depression-like phenotypes in rodent models, while 24 h pre-stress exposure to a single dose (20 mg/kg) of β-glucan prevented a chronic-stress-induced increase in TNF-α in the HPC and mPFC. Furthermore, minocycline pretreatment (40 mg/kg) abolished the β-glucan-induced decrease in TNF-α [94]. This study proposes a unique avenue of stimulating the innate immune system without initiating a proinflammatory response, to prevent the onset of depression-like behaviors.…”

“…However, combining fluoxetine treatment with a compound isolated from plants, Lilium [92], cordyceps militaris [93], or an enriched environment [37] may have a synergistic effect. Other compounds isolated from plants have similar effects, including eucommia ulmoides Oliv [49]; saikosaponin-d (SSd), a triterpene saponin [47]; isofraxidin [39]; and β-glucan, a unique agent that has immunomodulatory activity without eliciting a proinflammatory response [94,95].…”

“…Alternative medicine approaches have also decreased IL-6 levels in models of chronic stress. These include the following reagents: prebiotic, Eucommiae cortex polysaccharides (Epss) [73]; rice germ with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) [45]; theanine [45]; isofraxidin [39]; hypericum perforatum [109]; serratula coronate [109]; pumpkin extract [110]; RSNP [111]; crocin-1 [111]; bilobalide [112]; TSPG [113]; and B-glucan pretreatment [94,95]. Therapeutic approaches like acupuncture [85] and enriched environment [37] and transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) [114] decreased IL-6 in either the AMY, HPC, or serum.…”