Journal
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
Volume 67, Issue -, Pages 138-144Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2018.12.012
Keywords
Curcumin; Depression; Inflammation; NLRP3 inflammasome; Kynurenine pathway
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Funding
- Science and Technology Project of Zhongshan City [2014A1FC137]
- Shandong Medical and Health Science and Technology Development Program [2016WS0155]
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Increasing evidence suggests that inflammation is related to the pathophysiology of depression. Curcumin (CUR), which is a natural component extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, seems to be efficacious in depression treatment. Hence, the present study aims to explore whether the anti-depressive effect of curcumin is connected to its anti-inflammatory features. Twenty-one SD rats were randomly divided into three groups, namely, control, CUMS (chronic unpredictable mild stress), and CUMS + CUR. After stress exposure for four weeks, the CUMS group showed depressive-like behaviors, and the curcumin treatment successfully corrected the depressive-like behaviors in stressed rats. Additionally, the curcumin could effectively decrease mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha) and suppress NF-kappa B activation. Curcumin also inhibited the stressed-induced P2X7R/NLRP3 inflammasome axis activation, along with the reduced transformation of pro-IL-1 beta to mature IL-1 beta. The stress-induced activation of indolamine-2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) and an increased kynurenine/tryptophan ratio were also ameliorated by curcumin supplementation. In conclusion, the study revealed that curcumin relieves a depressive-like state through the inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome and kynurenine pathway.
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