Xanthotoxin affects depression-related behavior and neurotransmitters content in a sex-dependent manner in mice

Joanna Kowalczyk; Modestos Nakos-Bimpos; Alexia Polissidis; Christina Dalla; Nikolaos Kokras; Krystyna Skalicka-Wozniak; Barbara Budzynska

doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112985

Xanthotoxin affects depression-related behavior and neurotransmitters content in a sex-dependent manner in mice

Behav Brain Res. 2021 Feb 5:399:112985. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112985. Epub 2020 Nov 2.

Authors

Joanna Kowalczyk¹, Modestos Nakos-Bimpos², Alexia Polissidis², Christina Dalla³, Nikolaos Kokras⁴, Krystyna Skalicka-Wozniak⁵, Barbara Budzynska⁶

Affiliations

¹ Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 4a, 20-092, Lublin Poland; Department of Applied Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Chodzki 1, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
² Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece.
³ Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
⁴ Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; First Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
⁵ Independent Laboratory of Natural Products Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093, Lublin, Poland.
⁶ Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 4a, 20-092, Lublin Poland. Electronic address: basia.budzynska@umlub.pl.

PMID: 33144177
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112985

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate xanthotoxin's influence on male and female Swiss mice's depression-like behaviors and investigate the potential mechanism of this effect. Naturally derived furanocoumarin (the Apiaceae family), xanthotoxin, administered acutely (12.5 mg/kg), diminished the immobility level in the forced swim test only in males. The immobility level was lower in females than males, which may be associated with a higher serotonin level in the female prefrontal cortex. A dose-dependent increase of serotonin and noradrenaline was reported in the reverse-phase ion-pair liquid chromatography in the female prefrontal cortex but not in the hippocampus. We suggest that xanthotoxin may exert antidepressant properties and affect males and females differently. The increasing level of serotonin in the male and female prefrontal cortex may underlie this effect.

Keywords: Coumarins; Forced swimming test; Noradrenaline; Serotonin.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Antidepressive Agents / administration & dosage
Antidepressive Agents / pharmacology*
Behavior, Animal / drug effects*
Depression / drug therapy*
Female
Hippocampus / drug effects*
Hippocampus / metabolism
Male
Methoxsalen / administration & dosage
Methoxsalen / pharmacology*
Mice
Norepinephrine / metabolism*
Plant Preparations
Prefrontal Cortex / drug effects*
Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism
Serotonin / metabolism*
Sex Characteristics
Sex Factors

Substances

Antidepressive Agents
Plant Preparations
Serotonin
Methoxsalen
Norepinephrine