Antidepressant-like Effects of Neuropeptide SF (NPSF)

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that Neuropeptide SF (NPSF) exhibits antidepressant-like effects in mice, involving multiple neurotransmitter receptors, suggesting potential therapeutic mechanisms for depression.

Contribution

First investigation of NPSF's antidepressant-like effects and its receptor interactions in a modified mouse forced swim test.

Findings

NPSF decreases immobility time in mice.

NPSF increases climbing and swimming behaviors.

Receptor antagonists attenuate NPSF's effects.

Abstract

Neuropeptide SF (NPSF) is a member of RFamide neuropeptides that play diverse roles in central nervous system. Little is know about the effects of NPSF on brain functions. Antidepressant-like effect of NPSF was studied in modified mice FST. NPSF showed the antidepressant-like effects by decreasing the immobility time and increasing the climbing and swimming time. Furthermore, the involvement of the adrenergic, serotonergic, cholinergic or dopaminergic receptors in the antidepressant-like effect of NPSF was studied in modified mice FST. Mice were pretreated with a non-selective {\alpha}-adrenergic receptor antagonist phenoxybenzamine, a \b{eta}-adrenergic receptor antagonist, propranolol, a non-selective 5-HT2 serotonergic receptor antagonist, cyproheptadine, nonselective muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, atropine, or D2, D3, D4 dopamine receptor antagonist, haloperidol. The present results confirmed that the antidepressant-like effect of NPSF is mediated, at least in part, by an interaction of the {\alpha}-adrenergic, 5-HT2 serotonergic, muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and D2, D3, D4 dopamine receptor in a modified mouse FST.