Imipramine Induces Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor mRNA Expression in Cultured Astrocytes

• Main Authors: Katsura Takano (Author), Hiroshi Yamasaki (Author), Kenji Kawabe (Author), Mitsuaki Moriyama (Author), Yoichi Nakamura (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Elsevier, 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Depression is one of the most prevalent and livelihood-threatening forms of mental illnesses and the neural circuitry underlying depression remains incompletely understood. Recent studies suggest that the neuronal plasticity involved with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in the recovery from depression. Some antidepressants are reported to induce BDNF expression in vivo; however, the mechanisms have been considered solely in neurons and not fully elucidated. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of imipramine, a classic tricyclic antidepressant drug, on BDNF expression in cultured rat brain astrocytes. Imipramine dose-dependently increased BDNF mRNA expression in astrocytes. The imipramine-induced BDNF increase was suppressed with inhibitors for protein kinase A (PKA) or MEK/ERK. Moreover, imipramine exposure activated transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggested that imipramine induced BDNF expression through CREB activation via PKA and/or ERK pathways. Imipramine treatment in depression might exert antidepressant action through BDNF production from astrocytes, and glial BDNF expression might be a target of developing novel antidepressants. Keywords:: astrocyte, antidepressant drug, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), protein kinase A (PKA), cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)

Item Description

1347-8613
10.1254/jphs.12039FP