Artur Pałasz1, Aleksandra Suszka-Świtek2, Łukasz Filipczyk2, Katarzyna Bogus2, Ewa Rojczyk2, John Worthington3, Marek Krzystanek4, Ryszard Wiaderkiewicz2. 1. Department of Histology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, Katowice 40-752, Poland. Electronic address: apalasz@sum.edu.pl. 2. Department of Histology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, Katowice 40-752, Poland. 3. Manchester Immunology Group, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Greater Manchester, M13 9PT, UK; Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK. 4. Department and Clinic of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Ziolowa 45/47, Katowice 40-635, Poland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Spexin (SPX) is a recently discovered neuropeptide that exhibits a large spectrum of central and peripheral regulatory activity, especially when considered as a potent anorexigenic factor. It has already been proven that antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), can modulate peptidergic signaling in various brain structures. Despite these findings, there is so far no information regarding the influence of treatment with the SSRI antidepressant escitalopram on brain SPX expression. METHODS: In this current study we measured SPX mRNA and protein expression in the selected brain structures (hypothalamus, hippocampus and striatum) of rats chronically treated with a 10mg/kg dose of escitalopram using quantitative Real-Time PCR and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Strikingly, long-term (4 week) drug treatment led to the downregulation of SPX expression in the rat hypothalamus. This supports the hypothesis that SPX may be involved in the hypothalamic serotonin-dependent actions of SSRI antidepressants and possibly also in the central mechanism of body mass increase. Conversely, SPX expression increased in the hippocampus and striatum. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of the effects of a neuropsychiatric medication on SPX expression in animal brain. Our findings shed a new light on the pharmacology of antidepressants and may contribute to a better understanding of the alternative mechanisms responsible for antidepressant action.
BACKGROUND:Spexin (SPX) is a recently discovered neuropeptide that exhibits a large spectrum of central and peripheral regulatory activity, especially when considered as a potent anorexigenic factor. It has already been proven that antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), can modulate peptidergic signaling in various brain structures. Despite these findings, there is so far no information regarding the influence of treatment with the SSRI antidepressant escitalopram on brain SPX expression. METHODS: In this current study we measured SPX mRNA and protein expression in the selected brain structures (hypothalamus, hippocampus and striatum) of rats chronically treated with a 10mg/kg dose of escitalopram using quantitative Real-Time PCR and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Strikingly, long-term (4 week) drug treatment led to the downregulation of SPX expression in the rathypothalamus. This supports the hypothesis that SPX may be involved in the hypothalamic serotonin-dependent actions of SSRI antidepressants and possibly also in the central mechanism of body mass increase. Conversely, SPX expression increased in the hippocampus and striatum. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of the effects of a neuropsychiatric medication on SPX expression in animal brain. Our findings shed a new light on the pharmacology of antidepressants and may contribute to a better understanding of the alternative mechanisms responsible for antidepressant action.
Authors: Artur Pałasz; Aneta Piwowarczyk-Nowak; Aleksandra Suszka-Świtek; Katarzyna Bogus; Łukasz Filipczyk; Alessandra Della Vecchia; Kinga Mordecka-Chamera; Itiana Castro Menezes; John J Worthington; Marek Krzystanek; Ryszard Wiaderkiewicz Journal: Mol Biol Rep Date: 2020-09-10 Impact factor: 2.316
Authors: Artur Pałasz; Piotr Żarczyński; Katarzyna Bogus; Kinga Mordecka-Chamera; Alessandra Della Vecchia; Jakub Skałbania; John J Worthington; Marek Krzystanek; Małgorzata Żarczyńska Journal: Pharmacol Rep Date: 2021-04-29 Impact factor: 3.024
Authors: Matthew K H Wong; Yuan Chen; Mulan He; Chengyuan Lin; Zhaoxiang Bian; Anderson O L Wong Journal: Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) Date: 2021-07-02 Impact factor: 5.555