Creatine and taurine mixtures alleviate depressive-like behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster and mice via regulating Akt and ERK/BDNF pathways

Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 9;10(1):11370. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-68424-1.

Abstract

We investigated the antidepressant effect of creatine (CRE) and taurine (TAU) mixtures on behavioural changes and biomarkers in stress-induced depression in Drosophila melanogaster and a mouse model. Following CRE/TAU mixture administration in the Drosophila model, depression-like state induced by vibration, locomotion, climbing activity, and survival rate were measured. The normal stress (NS) group demonstrated decreased movement than the control (CON) group; movements in the CRE/TAU-treated group (particularly 0.15/0.5%) returned to the CON levels. Antidepressant effects of CRE/TAU mixtures were confirmed in a depressive mouse model induced by chronic mild stress. In behavioural assessments, movement and sucrose preference of the CRE/TAU group increased to a similar level as in the positive control group; hippocampal catecholamine and serotonin levels increased significantly. Stress-related hormones (adrenocorticotropic and corticotropin-releasing hormones) and inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) increased in the NS group but significantly decreased in the CRE/TAU-treated group. Brain signalling protein expression ratio of phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt)/Akt, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK)/ERK, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) significantly increased in the CRE/TAU-treated group. These results indicate that CRE/TAU-induced antidepressant effects are associated with increased behavioural patterns and downregulation of stress hormones and cytokines, mediated through Akt and ERK/BDNF pathways in vertebrate models.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antidepressive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / metabolism
  • Catecholamines / analysis
  • Catecholamines / metabolism
  • Creatine / pharmacology*
  • Creatine / therapeutic use
  • Depression / drug therapy*
  • Depression / etiology
  • Depression / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • Drug Therapy, Combination / methods
  • Hippocampus / chemistry
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Hippocampus / pathology
  • Humans
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Serotonin / analysis
  • Serotonin / metabolism
  • Stress, Psychological / complications
  • Taurine / pharmacology*
  • Taurine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Catecholamines
  • Taurine
  • Serotonin
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Creatine