Ameliorative effect of anthocyanin on depression mice by increasing monoamine neurotransmitter and up-regulating BDNF expression

Abstract

Anthocyanin is a plant-specific secondary metabolite with various bioactivities. Purple cauliflower is an emerging vegetable which rich in anthocyanins by breed improvement in recent years. In this study, effects and relevant mechanisms of purified anthocyanin from purple cauliflower (PAPC) on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced mice model of depression were investigated. After three weeks of CUMS induced, the mice were intragastric administration with PAPC for six weeks. The results showed that PAPC treatment significantly improved depression-like behaviors in mice following CUMS, increased monoamine neurotransmitter content and inhibited monoamine oxidases (MAO) in the brain. It also increased the expression of tyrosine receptor kinase B, brain-derive neurotrophic factor (BDNF), phosphorylation levels of extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and cAMP-responsive binding element (CREB) in hippocampus. And PAPC treatment increased numbers of nestin- and doublecortin-positive cells, as well as spine density and total dendritic length in hippocampus. We proposed that PAPC ameliorated depression by inhibiting MAO activity, thus increasing monoamine neurotransmitter content and mediating the ERK/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway to up-regulate expression of BDNF, which also promotes neurogenesis and dendrite development in hippocampus.