Our previous studies have shown that ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) exerts antidepressant-like effects in animal models of depression, accompanied by an improvement of astrocytic gap junction functions. However, whether connexin 43 (Cx43), the major connexin forming gap junctions between astrocytes, is the key regulator of Rg1-induced antidepressant-like effects is still unknown. In this study, we examine in vitro and in vivo the involvement of Cx43 in the antidepressant effects of Rg1. Corticosterone was used to establish an in vitro rat model of depression. Treatment with Rg1 1 h prior to corticosterone significantly improved the cell viability of astrocytes, which was significantly inhibited by carbenoxolone, a widely used gap junction inhibitor. Moreover, Rg1 treatment significantly ameliorated antidepressant-sensitive behaviours induced by infusion of carbenoxolone or Gap26, a selective inhibitor of Cx43, into the prefrontal cortex of the animals. Rg1 treatment increased the expression of Cx43 compared with Gap26 group. According to these results, the antidepressant-like effects of Rg1 were mainly mediated by Cx43-formed gap junctions.

中文翻译：

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连接蛋白43：在抑郁症大鼠模型中的新型人参皂苷Rg1敏感靶标。

我们以前的研究表明，人参皂苷Rg1（Rg1）在抑郁症动物模型中发挥抗抑郁样作用，并改善了星形胶质细胞间隙连接功能。但是，是否连接蛋白43（Cx43），星形胶质细胞之间形成间隙连接的主要连接蛋白，是否是Rg1诱导的抗抑郁样作用的关键调节剂。在这项研究中，我们研究了Cx43在Rg1的抗抑郁作用中的体外和体内作用。皮质酮用于建立抑郁症的体外大鼠模型。皮质酮治疗前1小时用Rg1进行治疗可显着改善星形胶质细胞的细胞活力，而羧苄索酮是一种广泛使用的间隙连接抑制剂，可显着抑制星形胶质细胞的生存能力。此外，Rg1治疗显着改善了通过向动物的前额叶皮层中注入羧苯醚酮或Cap43的选择性抑制剂Gap26诱导的抗抑郁药敏感行为。与Gap26组相比，Rg1处理可提高Cx43的表达。根据这些结果，Rg1的抗抑郁样作用主要是由Cx43形成的间隙连接介导的。