Research reportAngiotensin-(1-7) attenuates the anxiety and depression-like behaviors in transgenic rats with low brain angiotensinogen

•We evaluated behavioral responses in low brain angiotensinogen transgenic rats.•Ang-(1-7) reversed the anxiety- and depressive-like behavior in TGR(ASrAOGEN)680 rats.•Fluoxetine induced anxiolytic- and anti-depressive-like behavior in TGR(ASrAOGEN)680 rats.•Ang-(1-7) and serotonin can modulate anxiety and depression-related behaviors.

Transgenic rats with low brain angiotensinogen, TGR(ASrAOGEN)680, expressing an antisense RNA against angiotensinogen in glial cells, provide an interesting tool to evaluate the role of brain angiotensins in different behavior responses. The present study was conducted to test the hypothesis that angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] and serotonin can modulate anxiety and depression-related behaviors in the TGR(ASrAOGEN)680 rats. Therefore, the effect of acute intracerebroventricular administration of Ang-(1-7) and intraperitoneal administration of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine was evaluated in TGR(ASrAOGEN) rats subjected to the elevated plus maze (EPM) and forced swimming (FST) tests. Transgenic rats spent a lower percentage of time in the open arms of EPM and showed a significant increase in the immobility time in FST, indicating that a low angiotensinogen level in the brain leads to anxiety-like behavior accompanied by a depression-like state. Administration of both, Ang-(1-7) and fluoxetine reversed the anxiety- and depressive-like behavior of transgenic rats with low brain angiotensinogen, suggesting that this may be, at least in part, related to a decreased level of Ang-(1-7) and serotonin in the brain of these animals.