SIRT1 and SIRT2 Modulators: Potential Anti-Inflammatory Treatment for Depression?

Depression is a psychiatric disorder that has a significant health burden on patients and their families. Unfortunately, the current antidepressant medications that mainly target monoamine neurotransmitters have limited efficacy. Recent evidence has indicated that neuroinflammation participates in the genesis and development of depression, and interacts with other factors involved in depression. Therefore, exploring effective anti-inflammatory medications could be beneficial for the development of new treatment options for depression. Sirtuins are a unique class of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+))-dependent deacetylases, which have seven members that can affect multiple downstream targets by deacetylation activity. Among these seven members, SIRT1 and SIRT2 have been shown to participate in the pathophysiology of inflammation in numerous studies. Thus, in this short article, we review the association of SIRT1 and SIRT2 activity and depression, and evidence of the effects of SIRT1 and SIRT2 modulators on inflammation in vitro and depressive-like behaviours in vivo.

Automated summary

Depression is a psychiatric disorder with significant health burden, and current antidepressant medications targeting monoamine neurotransmitters have limited efficacy. Recent evidence suggests that neuroinflammation plays a role in depression, highlighting the importance of exploring anti-inflammatory medications for new treatment options. Sirtuins, particularly SIRT1 and SIRT2, have been implicated in inflammation and are being studied for their potential effects on depressive-like behaviors.