NPY intraperitoneal injections produce antidepressant-like effects and downregulate BDNF in the rat hypothalamus
- PMID: 22672302
- PMCID: PMC6493532
- DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-5949.2012.00314.x
NPY intraperitoneal injections produce antidepressant-like effects and downregulate BDNF in the rat hypothalamus
Abstract
Aims: Several studies have documented an involvement of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) in stress-related disorders. Stress-related disorders are also characterized by changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophins implicated in the survival and function of neurons. Thus the aim of this study was to investigate whether an NPY intraperitoneal treatment has antidepressant-like effects in rats subjected to a classical stress paradigm, the Forced Swim Test (FST), in association with changes in local brain neurotrophin production.
Methods: Rats were intraperitoneally injected with either NPY (60 μg/kg) or a vehicle for three consecutive days between two FST sessions and then tested for time spent (or delay onset) in immobile posture. Moreover, we measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) neurotrophin levels in the hypothalamus and corticosterone levels in plasma.
Results: The data showed that NPY induced a significant delay in the onset and a significant reduction in the duration of the immobility posture in FST. We also found that NPY decreased BDNF levels in the hypothalamus and corticosterone levels in plasma.
Discussion: Immobility posture in FST can be reduced by antidepressant drugs. Thus, our data show an antidepressant-like effect of NPY associated with changes in BDNF levels in the hypothalamus and reduced activity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Conclusion: These findings, while confirming the involvement of the NPY system in stress-related disorders, suggest that a less invasive route of administration, such as an intraperitoneal injection, may be instrumental in coping with stressful events in animal models and perhaps in humans.
© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Conflict of interest statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Figures


Similar articles
-
Intraperitoneal injection of neuropeptide Y (NPY) alters neurotrophin rat hypothalamic levels: Implications for NPY potential role in stress-related disorders.Peptides. 2011 Jun;32(6):1320-3. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2011.03.023. Epub 2011 Apr 5. Peptides. 2011. PMID: 21473895
-
Crassifoside H improve the depressive-like behavior of rats under chronic unpredictable mild stress: Possible involved mechanisms.Brain Res Bull. 2017 Oct;135:77-84. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2017.09.015. Epub 2017 Sep 29. Brain Res Bull. 2017. PMID: 28970041
-
Antidepressant effects of magnolol in a mouse model of depression induced by chronic corticosterone injection.Steroids. 2018 Jul;135:73-78. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2018.03.005. Epub 2018 Mar 17. Steroids. 2018. PMID: 29555480
-
Neuropeptide Y administration reverses tricyclic antidepressant treatment-resistant depression induced by ACTH in mice.Horm Behav. 2015 Jul;73:56-63. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.018. Epub 2015 Jun 27. Horm Behav. 2015. PMID: 26122290
-
'The effect of neuropeptide Y1 receptor agonist on hypothalamic neurogenesis in rat experimental depression model'.Metab Brain Dis. 2024 Nov 22;40(1):39. doi: 10.1007/s11011-024-01445-1. Metab Brain Dis. 2024. PMID: 39576364
Cited by
-
Enhancement of neurogenesis and cognition through intranasal co-delivery of galanin receptor 2 (GALR2) and neuropeptide Y receptor 1 (NPY1R) agonists: a potential pharmacological strategy for cognitive dysfunctions.Behav Brain Funct. 2024 Mar 28;20(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s12993-024-00230-5. Behav Brain Funct. 2024. PMID: 38549164 Free PMC article.
-
Neuropeptide Y receptor 1 and galanin receptor 2 (NPY1R-GALR2) interactions in the dentate gyrus and their relevance for neurogenesis and cognition.Front Cell Neurosci. 2024 Feb 14;18:1323986. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1323986. eCollection 2024. Front Cell Neurosci. 2024. PMID: 38425430 Free PMC article.
-
Effects of single-dose neuropeptide Y on levels of hippocampal BDNF, MDA, GSH, and NO in a rat model of pentylenetetrazole-induced epileptic seizure.Bosn J Basic Med Sci. 2013 Nov;13(4):242-7. doi: 10.17305/bjbms.2013.2332. Bosn J Basic Med Sci. 2013. PMID: 24289760 Free PMC article.
-
Cognitive impairment by antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis: Analysis of gut microbiota-brain communication.Brain Behav Immun. 2016 Aug;56:140-55. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.02.020. Epub 2016 Feb 23. Brain Behav Immun. 2016. PMID: 26923630 Free PMC article.
-
Interaction of Cocaine- and Amphetamine-regulated Transcript and Neuropeptide Y on Behavior in the Central Nervous System.Noro Psikiyatr Ars. 2016 Jun;53(2):136-143. doi: 10.5152/npa.2015.9952. Epub 2016 Jun 1. Noro Psikiyatr Ars. 2016. PMID: 28360786 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Paschos KA, Veletza S, Chatzaki E. Neuropeptide and sigma receptors as novel therapeutic targets for the pharmacotherapy of depression. CNS Drugs 2009;23:755–772. - PubMed
-
- Redrobe JP, Dumont Y, Quirion R. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and depression: From animal studies to the human condition. Life Sci 2002;71:2921–2937. - PubMed
-
- Heilig M. The NPY system in stress, anxiety and depression. Neuropeptides 2004;38:213–224. - PubMed
-
- Jiménez‐Vasquez PA, Diaz‐Cabiale Z, Caberlotto L, Bellido I, Overstreet D, Fuxe K, Mathé AA. Electroconvulsive stimuli selectively affect behavior and neuropeptide Y (NPY) and NPY Y(1) receptor gene expressions in hippocampus and hypothalamus of Flinders Sensitive Line rat model of depression. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2007;17:298–308. - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Miscellaneous