ATP-sensitive potassium channels: uncovering novel targets for treating depression

ATP-sensitive potassium (K-ATP) channels have been shown to couple membrane electrical activity to energy metabolism in a variety of cells and are important in several physiological systems. In the brain, K-ATP channels are strongly expressed in the neuronal circuitry. The distributional profile and functional significance of K-ATP channels suggest that they may be involved in stress-induced depression. First, we showed that chronic mild stress (CMS) significantly increased the expression of hippocampal Kir6.2 and Kir6.1 subunits of K-ATP channels. Next, using Kir6.2 knockout (Kir6.2^−/−) mice, we presented that Kir6.2 deficiency resulted in antidepressant-like behaviors under non-stress conditions, but aggravated depressive behaviors accompanied by the loss of CA3 neuron and the reduction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in hippocampus under chronic stress. Finally, we demonstrated that the K-ATP channel opener iptakalim, as well as a classical antidepressant fluoxetine, can reverse CMS-induced depression-related behaviors and counteract the deleterious effects of stress on hippocampus in wild-type mice, but only partially alleviate these symptoms in Kir6.2^−/− mice. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that K-ATP channels are involved in the pathogenesis of depression and may be a promising target for the therapy of depression.