Figure 4

Minocycline blocks chronic temporal lobe epilepsy-induced depressive behaviors and IL-1β, IL-6 and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase expression but normalizes tryptophan metabolites in the hippocampus. (A) The duration of immobility during the forced swim test was decreased after minocycline treatment for 2 weeks in chronic epileptic rats (**P < 0.01 versus before treatment by paired t-test; **P < 0.01 versus distilled water treatment by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)). (B) Saccharin consumption was also improved in the TPT after minocycline treatment (*P < 0.05 versus before treatment by paired t-test; *P < 0.05 versus distilled water treatment by one-way ANOVA). The mRNA levels of (C) IL-1β, (D) IL-6 and (E) indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) were downregulated in the hippocampus after minocycline treatment. The hippocampal (F) kynurenine (KYN)/tryptophan (TRY) and (G) serotonin (5-HT)/TRY ratios were normalized. Statistical significance was determined using paired t-test and one-way ANOVA. The data are presented as means ± SEM, n = 5 to 6; * P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01.