Komagataella pastoris KM71H modulates neuroimmune and oxidative stress parameters in animal models of depression: A proposal for a new probiotic with antidepressant-like effect

Abstract

Many studies have suggested that imbalance of the gut microbial composition leads to an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines and promotes oxidative stress, and this are directly associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD). Clinical data indicated that the probiotics have positive impacts on the central nervous system and thus may have a key role to treatment of MDD. This study examined the benefits of administration of Komagataella pastoris KM71H (8 log UFC·g^-1/animal, intragastric route) in attenuating behavioral, neurochemical, and neuroendocrine changes in animal models of depressive-like behavior induced by repeated restraint stress and lipopolysaccharide (0.83 mg/kg). We demonstrated that pretreatment of mice with this yeast prevented depression-like behavior induced by stress and an inflammatory challenge in mice. We believe that this effect is due to modulation of the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, restoration in the mRNA levels of the Nuclear factor kappa B, Interleukin 1β, Interferon γ, and Indoleamine 2 3-dioxygenase, and prevention of oxidative stress in the prefrontal cortices, hippocampi, and intestine of mice and of the decrease the plasma corticosterone levels. Thus, we conclude that K. pastoris KM71H has properties for a new proposal of probiotic with antidepressant-like effect, arising as a promising therapeutic strategy for MDD.

Keywords: Depression; Gut-brain axis; Inflammation; Komagataella pastoris; Probiotic; Stress.