The ATP Level in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Regulates Depressive-like Behavior via the Medial Prefrontal Cortex-Lateral Habenula Pathway.

Background: Depression is the most common mental illness. Mounting evidence suggests that dysregulation of extracellular ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is involved in the pathophysiology of depression. However, the cellular and neural circuit mechanisms through which ATP modulates depressive-like behavior remain elusive.

Methods: By use of ex vivo slice electrophysiology, chemogenetic manipulations, RNA interference, gene knockout, behavioral testing, and two depression mouse models, one induced by chronic social defeat stress and one caused by a IP3R2-null mutation, we systematically investigated the cellular and neural circuit mechanisms underlying ATP deficiency-induced depressive-like behavior.

Results: Deficiency of extracellular ATP in both defeated susceptible mice and IP3R2-null mutation mice led to reduced GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) inhibition and elevated excitability in lateral habenula-projecting, but not dorsal raphe-projecting, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) neurons. Furthermore, the P2X2 receptor in GABAergic interneurons mediated ATP modulation of lateral habenula-projecting mPFC neurons and depressive-like behavior. Remarkably, chemogenetic activation of the mPFC-lateral habenula pathway induced depressive-like behavior in C57BL/6J mice, while inhibition of this pathway was sufficient to alleviate the behavioral impairment in both defeated susceptible and IP3R2-null mutant mice.

Conclusions: Overall, our study provides compelling evidence that ATP level in the mPFC is critically involved in regulating depressive-like behavior in a pathway-specific manner. These results shed new light on the mechanisms underlying depression and the antidepressant effect of ATP.