WITHDRAWN: fMRI analysis of MCP-1 induced prefrontal cortex neuronal dysfunction in depressive cynomolgus monkeys

Abstract Background Depression is a serious mental illness, which is one of the main causes of disability at present. The cause and location of depression are still unclear. The purpose of this study is to establish a stable and reliable model of non-human primate depression, and further confirm the significance of neuritis in the pathogenesis of depression by combining in vivo and in vitro experiments. Methods We simulated the environment of human depression and established a cynomolgus monkeys depression model by pro-depressive prodedure (PDP). The model was evaluated by behavioral test and neurotransmitter detection, and the important functional changes of brain area were detected by Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Abnormal inflammatory factors in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were determined by multi factor kit. In addition, the mechanism was further verified by stereotactic injection of inflammatory factor antagonists into mouse prefrontal cortex(PFC) and cell experiments. Results Here we found that a 12-week exposure to PDP can effectively induce the depressive behaviors of cynomolgus monkeys. PDP increases the time of depressive-like and anxious-like behaviors and decreases locomotor and exploratory behaviors, which were maintained after a 4-week recovery period. PDP lowers the serum serotonin (5-HT), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level at the end of the procedure. FMRI can reflect the state of brain function noninvasively based on the level of blood oxygen. The results demonstrate that fALFF signaling is downregulated in PFC. The downregulation of BDNF and NeuN(Neuronal nuclei antigen) in PFC are observed in depressive monkeys. At the same time, it was found that contents of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in serum, CSF and PFC are increased in cynomolgus monkeys receiving PDP treatment. Furthermore, we found that MCP-1 receptor antagonist (CCR2-RA-[R]) can significantly reduce the susceptibility of depression in mice and increase the expression of BDNF in serum and PFC of depressed mice and blocked the downregulation of MCP-1 on the expression of BDNF in SHSY-5Y cells. Conclusions In conclusion, PDP induces cynomolgus monkeys depression by secreting MCP-1 to impair the neurotrophic function of 5-HT in PFC. PDP is a satisfying method to establish inducible depressive model in cynomolgus monkeys.