Stress-induced neuroinflammation is widely regarded as one of the primary causes of depression. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched foods relieve stress and reduce inflammatory reactions. This study aimed to evaluate whether rice germ with 30% GABA (RG) reduced neuroinflammation in mice exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). CUMS mice were administered 40, 90, and 140 mg/kg of RG. CUMS increased serum and hypothalamic pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α and IL-6) levels, which were decreased by RG. In the hypothalamus, CUMS elevated M1-type microglia markers of CD86 and NF-κB, whereas RG lowered these levels. The expression levels of NLRP3 inflammasome complex (NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain, and caspase-1), IL-1β, and IL-18 were increased in the hypothalamus of CUMS mice and decreased by RG. RG attenuated depressive-like behaviors in CUMS mice, as measured by the forced swim test and tail suspension test. In conclusion, RG decreased hypothalamic inflammation-related signals, such as TNF-α, IL-6, M1 polarization, NF-κB, NLRP3 inflammasome complex, caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18, to diminish depressive-like behavior.
Keywords: chronic unpredictable mild stress; gamma-aminobutyric acid; hypothalamic neuroinflammation; pyroptosis; rice germ.