Increased Signaling via Adenosine A(1) Receptors, Sleep Deprivation, Imipramine, and Ketamine Inhibit Depressive-like Behavior via Induction of Homer1a

Major depressive disorder is among the most commonly diagnosed disabling mental diseases. Several non-pharmacological treatments of depression upregulate adenosine concentration and/or adenosine A(1) receptors (A(1)R) in the brain. To test whether enhanced A(1)R signaling mediates antidepressant effects, we generated a transgenic mouse with enhanced doxycycline-regulated A(1)R expression, specifically in forebrain neurons. Upregulating A(1)R led to pronounced acute and chronic resilience toward depressive-like behavior in various tests. Conversely, A(1)R knockout mice displayed an increased depressive-like behavior and were resistant to the antidepressant effects of sleep deprivation (SD). Various antidepressant treatments increase homer1a expression in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Specific siRNA knockdown of homer1a in mPFC enhanced depressive-like behavior and prevented the antidepressant effects of A(1)R up-regulation, SD, imipramine, and ketamine treatment. In contrast, viral overexpression of homer1a in the mPFC had antidepressant effects. Thus, increased expression of homer1a is a final common pathway mediating the antidepressant effects of different antidepressant treatments.