The rapid antidepressant effect of acupuncture on two animal models of depression by inhibiting M1-Ach receptors regulates synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex

作者：Ning, Baile; Wang, Zhifang; He, Jiangshan; Wu, Qian; Deng, Qiyue; Yang, Qing; Gao, Jing; Fu, Wen; Deng, Ying; Wu, Bingxin; Huang, Xichang; Mei, Jilin; Jiang, Fan^*; Fu, Wenbin^*

来源：Brain Research, 2024, 1822: 148609.

DOI：10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148609

• Depression
• M1-AchR
• Acupuncture
• Synaptic plasticity
• Prefrontal cortex

Background: It is unclear whether acupuncture has a rapid antidepressant effect and what is the main mechanism.Methods: In this study, forced swimming stress test (FST) in mice were divided into five groups: control group, acupuncture group, scopolamine group, arecoline group, and acupuncture + arecoline group. Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model rats were divided into six groups: naive (non-CUMS) group, CUMS group, acupuncture group, scopolamine group, arecoline group, and acupuncture + arecoline group. Twenty-four hours after the end of treatment, FST was conducted in mice and rats. The expression of M1-AchR, AMPA receptors (GluR1 and GluR2), BDNF, mTOR, p-mTOR, synapsin I, and PSD95 in the prefrontal cortex was determined by western blot. The spine density of neurons in the prefrontal cortex was detected by golgi staining.Results: The results showed that acupuncture reduced the immobility time of FST in two depression models. Acupuncture inhibited the expression of M1-AchR and promoted the expression of GluR1, GluR2, BDNF, p-mTOR, synapsin I, PSD95, and increased the density of neuron dendritic spine in the prefrontal cortex.Conclusions: The rapid antidepressant effect of acupuncture may be activating the "glutamate tide" -AMPA receptor activation -BDNF release -mTORC1 pathway activation through inhibiting the expression of M1-AchR in the prefrontal cortex, thereby increasing the expression of synaptic proteins and regulating synaptic plasticity.

• 单位
  1; 广州医学院; 广州中医药大学