Splenic γδ T cells mediate antidepressant and prophylactic actions of arketamine in lipopolysaccharide-induced depression in mice.
Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior December 1, 2024 Guilin Liu, Li Ma, Akemi Sakamoto et al. 4 citations
A single dose of arketamine, the (R)-enantiomer of ketamine, reduced depression-like behavior and inflammation in mice given lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial toxin that triggers an immune response. Arketamine also prevented these effects when given six days before LPS. LPS lowered the proportion of γδ T cells in the spleen, and arketamine reversed this change and reduced spleen enlargement and interleukin-6 levels. Blocking γδ T cells with an antibody eliminated arketamine's benefits, suggesting these immune cells are essential for its effects. The findings indicate splenic γδ T cells may be a new target for treating inflammation-related depression.