Antidepressant-like effects of Rg1 by mycn: promotion of neurogenesis in the hippocampus

TL;DR

Ginsenoside Rg1 reduces depression-like behaviors by boosting brain cell growth through a protein called Mycn.

Contribution

This study identifies Mycn as a key molecular target through which Rg1 exerts antidepressant effects.

Findings

Rg1 shows antidepressant-like effects in tail suspension and sucrose preference tests.

Rg1 increases Mycn mRNA expression in the hippocampus.

Mycn inhibition prevents Rg1's antidepressant effects in mice.

Abstract

Ginsenoside Rg1 has been shown to have antidepressant effects by increasing hippocampal neurogenesis, but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this research, we showed that Rg1 has antidepressant-like effects by increasing neurogenesis in the hippocampus, and these effects are achieved through Mycn. The evidence shows that Rg1 has antidepressant like effects in the tail suspension test, sucrose preference test. Moreover, Rg1 has anxiolytic-like effects in the O-maze test. In addition, Rg1 increases Mycn mRNA expression by q-PCR test. Mycn overexpression in the DG of ventral hippocampus is stress resilient. Furthermore, Mycn inhibition makes the mice more susceptible to depression and Rg1 cannot rescue this effect. In conclusion, Ginsenoside Rg1 targets Mycn to increase hippocampal neurogenesis to alleviate depressive-like behaviors.

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