Effect of vitamin D on anxiety and depressive behaviors and related mechanisms of hippocampal inflammation in obese rats
10.3969/j.issn.1671-8348.2025.07.001
- VernacularTitle:维生素D对肥胖大鼠焦虑抑郁行为的影响及其相关海马体炎症机制的研究
- Author:
Zhiping DONG
1
;
Zhe ZHANG
;
Yu CONG
;
Yan LIU
Author Information
1. 天津医科大学国家卫生健康委员会激素与发育重点实验室/天津市代谢性疾病重点实验室/天津医科大学朱宪彝纪念医院/天津市内分泌研究所营养科,天津 300014
- Keywords:
Vitamin D;
obesity;
depression;
hippocampus;
inflammation
- From:
Chongqing Medicine
2025;54(7):1521-1526,1533
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To explore the effects of vitamin D on anxiety and depression behavior and the mechanism of hippocampal inflammation in obese rats.Methods Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups(n=12):control group(group C),obesity group(group F),low-dose vitamin D group(L-VD group),and high-dose vitamin D group(H-VD group).Group C was fed a standard diet,and the other three groups were fed a high-fat diet.After successful establishment of the rat obesity model,L-VD group and H-VD group were intraperitoneally injected with 10 μg·kg-1·d-1 and 20 μg·kg-1·d-1 vitamin D,respective-ly,and groups C and F were injected with the same volume of normal saline;relevant indexes were detected af-ter continued feeding for 6 weeks.The sucrose preference test and open field test were used to study the be-havior of rats in each group.The histopathological changes of hippocampal tissue were observed by HE stai-ning.The expression levels of TNF-α and NF-κB protein in hippocampal tissue were detected by Western blot.Results After 6 weeks of intervention,compared with group C,the serum 25(OH)D concentration,sugar-wa-ter preference rate,total distance of open field movement,number of entries into the central area,and duration of stay in the central area were significantly decreased in group F rats.The expression levels of TNF-α and NF-κB proteins in hippocampal tissues were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with group F,serum 25(OH)D concentration and sugar-water preference rate were significantly increased in L-VD and H-VD groups.Anxiety and depression-like behaviors in the open field were markedly improved.TNF-α and NF-κB protein levels were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Statistically significant differences were observed in all aforementioned indicators between the groups(P<0.05).HE staining revealed looser arrangement of hipp-ocampal neurons,with extensive neuronal degeneration in group F.In contrast,L-VD and H-VD groups exhib-ited tighter and more regular neuronal arrangements,with only mild edema and cytoplasmic vacuolation in some cells.No significant neuronal degeneration was observed in the H-VD group.Conclusion Reduced vita-min D levels in obese rats exacerbate anxiety-depression-like behaviors,potentially through activation of hipp-ocampal inflammatory factors.
