Guanosine fast onset antidepressant-like effects in the olfactory bulbectomy mice model

Sci Rep. 2020 May 21;10(1):8429. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-65300-w.

Abstract

The treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) is still a challenge. In the search for novel antidepressants, glutamatergic neuromodulators have been investigated as possible fast-acting antidepressants. Innovative studies suggest that the purine cycle and/or the purinergic signaling can be dysregulated in MDD, and the endogenous nucleoside guanosine has gained attention due to its extracellular effects. This study aimed to verify if guanosine produces fast-onset effects in the well-validated, reliable and sensitive olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) model of depression. The involvement of the mTOR pathway, a key target for the fast-onset effect of ketamine, was also investigated. Results show that a single i.p. injection of guanosine, or ketamine, completely reversed the OBX-induced anhedonic-like behavior 24 or 48 h post treatment, as well as the short-term recognition memory impairment 48 h post treatment. The antidepressant-like effects of guanosine and ketamine were completely abolished by rapamycin. This study shows, for the first time, that guanosine, in a way similar to ketamine, is able to elicit a fast antidepressant response in the OBX model in mice. The results support the notion that guanosine represents a new road for therapeutic improvement in MDD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anhedonia / drug effects
  • Animals
  • Antidepressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Antidepressive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / drug therapy*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agents / pharmacology*
  • Guanosine / adverse effects
  • Guanosine / pharmacology*
  • Ketamine / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / chemically induced
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Olfactory Bulb / surgery
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agents
  • Guanosine
  • Ketamine
  • mTOR protein, mouse
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases