Expression of protein and mRNA of 5-HT_(1A) receptor in the dentate gyrus of post-stroke depression

Objective To explore the effects of citalopram on the expression of 5-HT1A receptor in the dentate gyrus in a rat model of post-stroke depression(PSD),and its pharmacological mechanisms in the treatment of PSD in rats.Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups:the control group,PSD group and citalopram group.Animals were subjected to consistent focal cerebral infarcts through left middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO),followed by 18-day exposure to chronic mild stress(CMS)and single housing in order to induce putative PSD model.Citalopram(10 mg·kg-1·day-1)was injected intraperitoneally for 4 weeks from the begining of CMS procedure.The expression of mRNA and protein of the 5-HT1A receptor was assayed by Western Blotting and Real-Time Reverse-Transcription PCR on the 19th and 28th day after the begining of the CMS procedure respectively.Results On the 19th day after the begining of the CMS procedure,citalopram increased the expression of 5-HT1A receptor mRNA(P0.001)and protein(P0.001)compared with the PSD rats.On the 28th day,citalopram increased the expression of 5-HT1A receptor mRNA(P0.001)and protein(P0.001)compared with the PSD rats.Conclusions Citalopram increased the expression of 5-HT1A receptor mRNA and protein in the dentate gyrus in a rat model of PSD,suggesting that this might be one of the molecular mechanism of the effects of antidepressants on the hippocampal neurogenesis and the effectiveness in the treatment of PSD.