Chronic restraint stress-induced depression-like behavior is mediated by upregulation of melanopsin expression in C57BL/6 mice retina

作者：Fu, Yingmei^*; Liu, Shanshan; Dong, Yigang; Gan, Yixia; Guo, Xiaoyun; Liu, Hongmei; Xu, Qingqing; Yuan, Ruixue; Ning, Ailing; Hong, Wu; Peng, Yanmin^*; Yu, Shunying^*

来源：PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, 2023, 240(2): 283-293.

DOI：10.1007/s00213-022-06302-6

• Chronic restraint stress
• Depression
• Melanopsin
• mRGCs
• Glucocorticoid

BackgroundDepression is associated with circadian disturbances in which melanopsin was a key mechanism. Further studies have demonstrated that melanopsin gene variations are associated with some depressive disorders and aberrant light can impair mood through melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells (mRGCs). The goal of this study was to explore the direct relationship between depression and melanopsin. MethodsAdult C57BL/6 male mice were physically restrained for 16 h in a 50-ml polypropylene centrifuge tube and all behavioral tests were performed after CRS treatment. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence were used to detect melanopsin expression in the retina of C57BL/6 mice. And we observed the change of the electrophysiological function and release of glutamate of mRGCs. ResultsThe melanopsin expression upregulate in mRGCs of chronic restraint stress (CRS)-treating mice which exhibit depression-like behavior. The frequency of blue light-induced action potentials and light-induced glutamate release mediated by melanopsin also increase significantly. This change of melanopsin is mediated by the CRS-induced glucocorticoid. ConclusionsCRS may induce the depression-like behavior in mice via glucocorticoid-melanopsin pathway. Our findings provide a novel mechanistic link between CRS-induced depression and melanopsin in mice.

• 单位
  上海交通大学