Prefrontal cortex molecular clock modulates development of depression-like phenotype and rapid antidepressant response in mice.
David H Sarrazin, Wilf Gardner, Carole Marchese, Martin Balzinger, Chockalingam Ramanathan, Marion Schott, Stanislav Rozov, Maxime Veleanu, Stefan Vestring, Claus Normann, Tomi Rantamäki, Benedicte Antoine, Michel Barrot, Etienne Challet, Patrice Bourgin, Tsvetan Serchov
Nature communications August 23, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51716-9 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDepression involves disrupted circadian rhythms, but the role of internal clocks in mood-regulating brain areas was unclear. In a mouse model of depression, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) showed increased expression of circadian negative-loop genes and decreased positive-clock regulators, and the rapid antidepressant ketamine counteracted these changes. Removing the clock gene Bmal1 from excitatory neurons prevented both depression-like behavior and ketamine's effects. Silencing the clock gene Per2 in mPFC produced antidepressant-like effects, while activating REV-ERB worsened depression and blocked ketamine. Boosting the clock activator ROR had antidepressant-like effects, increasing plasticity-related proteins and synaptic receptors in mPFC. The mPFC molecular clock critically regulates depression-like behavior, and targeting it therapeutically may influence glutamatergic plasticity.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mouse model of depression |
| Interventions | Ketamine Per2 silencing REV-ERB agonism |
| Keywords | Neuroscience Chronobiology Mental health Depression treatment Brain research |
| Citations | 41 |
| Key finding | The mPFC molecular clock critically regulates depression-like behavior, and pharmacological clock manipulations can produce antidepressant-like effects through glutamatergic-dependent plasticity. |
Abstract
Depression is associated with dysregulated circadian rhythms, but the role of intrinsic clocks in mood-controlling brain regions remains poorly understood. We found increased circadian negative loop and decreased positive clock regulators expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of a mouse model of depression, and a subsequent clock countermodulation by the rapid antidepressant ketamine. Selective Bmal1KO in CaMK2a excitatory neurons revealed that the functional mPFC clock is an essential factor for the development of a depression-like phenotype and ketamine effects. Per2 silencing in mPFC produced antidepressant-like effects, while REV-ERB agonism enhanced the depression-like phenotype and suppressed ketamine action. Pharmacological potentiation of clock positive modulator ROR elicited antidepressant-like effects, upregulating plasticity protein Homer1a, synaptic AMPA receptors expression and plasticity-related slow wave activity specifically in the mPFC. Our data demonstrate a critical role for mPFC molecular clock in regulating depression-like behavior and the therapeutic potential of clock pharmacological manipulations influencing glutamatergic-dependent plasticity.