Abstract

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is considered to be involved in the etiology and treatment of stress-related mood disorders including anxiety. However, application of BDNF itself has many technical and pharmacological problems such as instability and/or a lack of appropriate delivery systems. To overcome these, we developed trans-2-decenoic acid ethyl ester (DAEE) as a stable and small molecule with BDNF-like activities. In the present study, we tested the activities of DAEE on a stress-induced anxiety-like mouse model. Mice were kept in cages and subjected to 3 sets of sequential leaning, drenching, and rotation as chronic mild stresses applied for 1-2 days over a 3-week period; and the anxiety-like symptom (reduced time spent in open arm of the maze) was evaluated by use of the elevated plus-maze test. A daily intraperitoneal administration of DAEE competed against the expression of the anxiety-like symptom when administered during the stress-loading period, and became therapeutic when administered after the stress-loading. This activity was accompanied by amelioration of the stress-induced reduction in the levels of BDNF and neurotrophin-3 mRNAs and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 in the hippocampus. These results demonstrated that DAEE behaved like an anxiolytic and ameliorated this characteristic anxiety-like symptom, suggesting that DAEE may be a promising candidate for a novel anxiolytic with a new mechanism of action.