Involvement of the mammalian target of rapamycin signaling in the antidepressant-like effect of group II metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonists

Growing evidence has indicated that the blockade of group II metabotropic glutamate (mGlu2/3) receptor exerts antidepressant-like effects in several animal models of depression. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of mGlu2/3 receptor antagonists are not well understood. Here, we investigated the involvement of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling in the acute and sustained antidepressant-like effects of mGlu2/3 receptor antagonists such as (1R, 2R, 3R, 5R, 6R)-2-amino-3-(3,4-dichlorobenzyloxy)-6-fluorobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (MGS0039) and (2S)-2-amino-2-[(1S,2S)-2-carboxycycloprop-1-yl]-3-(xanth-9-yl) propanoic acid (LY341495).Mice were subjected to a tail suspension test (TST) to assess the acute and sustained antidepressant-like effects. We evaluated the effect of rapamycin, an mTOR antagonist, on the acute and sustained antidepressant-like effects of mGlu2/3 receptor antagonists.Both MGS0039 and LY341495 exerted antidepressant-like effects, as evaluated using the TST; these effects were sustained for 24 h. Pretreatment with rapamycin blocked the sustained, but not the acute, antidepressant-like effects of mGlu2/3 receptor antagonists, as observed in ketamine.The present result suggests that the blockade of the mGlu2/3 receptor may activate mTOR signaling, and that the activation of mTOR signaling may contribute to the sustained antidepressant-like effects of mGlu2/3 receptor antagonists.

► mGlu2/3 receptor antagonists exerted sustained antidepressant effect, lasting for 24 h. ► Antidepressant effects of mGlu2/3 receptor antagonists was attenuated by rapamycin. ► mGlu2/3 receptor antagonists, like ketamine, may exert antidepressant effects via activation of mTOR signaling.