Treatment with lysophosphatidic acid prevents microglial activation and depression-like behaviours in a murine model of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus

Novel therapeutic options for NPSLE are needed. MRL/lpr mice had significantly increased indices of depressive-like behaviours and expression of microglia or activated microglia in the brain compared to MRL/+ mice, and the increased expression was significantly suppressed by LPA treatment. LPA may regulate microglial activation, which is important in the pathogenesis of NPSLE, as well as blood-brain-barrier weakening and depression-like behaviours. Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is an incurable disease characterised by neuropsychiatric symptoms, particularly depression. Novel therapeutic options for NPSLE are urgently needed. Several previous reports have suggested that both microglial activation and impaired neurogenesis may be involved in the progression of depression. In contrast, the administration of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) ameliorates depression and anxiety. Therefore, in the present study, we determined whether treatment with LPA affects microglial activation, impaired neurogenesis, and abnormal behaviour in MRL/lpr mice. In both tail suspension test and forced swim test, the MRL/lpr mice exhibited a significant increase in total immobility time compared with MRL/+ mice. Treatment with LPA significantly suppressed the prolonged immobility time in MRL/lpr mice. In contrast, pretreatment with ki16425 (a specific antagonist of LPA receptor 1 and 3) significantly reversed the effects of LPA. Furthermore, MRL/lpr mice exhibited impairments in spatial working memory and visual cognitive memory, which were suppressed by LPA treatment. The expression levels of TMEM119, CD68, GFAP, and caspase-3 in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of MRL/lpr mice were significantly higher than those in MRL/+ mice. Treatment with LPA inhibited these increases in MRL/lpr mice. Pretreatment with ki16425 reversed LPA-mediated inhibition of microglial activation. The quantity of sodium fluorescein that leaked into the brain tissues in MRL/lpr mice were significantly higher than that in MRL/+ mice. Treatment with LPA tended to decrease the sodium fluorescein leakage. These findings suggest that treatment with LPA may regulate microglial activation, which is important in the pathogenesis of NPSLE, as well as blood-brain-barrier weakening and abnormal behaviour.

Automated summary

Novel therapeutic options are required for NPSLE. MRL/lpr mice showed increased depressive-like behaviors and expression of microglia in the brain compared to MRL/+ mice, which was significantly suppressed by LPA treatment. LPA may regulate microglial activation, blood-brain-barrier weakening, and depression-like behaviors in NPSLE.