To explore the regulatory role of the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway in the anxiety and depressive-like behavior induced by acute sleep deprivation in mice.

Forty eight C57BL/6J mice aged 8 weeks were randomly divided into four groups: control group(CON), inhibitor group(LiCl), sleep deprivation group(SD), and inhibitor + sleep deprivation group (SD＋LiCl), with 12 mice in each group. The model of acute sleep deprivation in mice was established by modified multiple platform method(modified multiple platform method,MMPM), Elevated Plus Maze(EPM)、Open Field Test(OFT)、Forced Swim Test(FST) and Tail Suspension Test(TST)were used to evaluate the behavior of mice. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of hippocampal neurons. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression ofNF-κB and NLRP3 in hippocampal tissues.

Compared with the CON group, the body weight, hippocampal weight, and hippocampal organ coefficient of the SD group mice were significantly reduced (F=0.452, P=0.006; F=6.553, P=0.009; F=1.428, P=0.001).In OFT, Compared with the CON group, the LiCl group had no significant difference in the number of visits to the center(F=5.084,P=0.744), and the SD group significantly decreased(F=0.028,P=0.017). In EPM, the time of entering the open arm in the LiCl group was not significantly shorter than that in the CON group(F=0.09,P=0.113),but the SD group was significantly shorter(F=0.085,P=0.011). In FST,there was no significant difference in the immobility time between the LiCl group and the CON group(F=3.422,P=0.260). In TST, Compared with the CON group, the immobility time of the suspension tail increased in the SD group(F=11.218,P=0.005). HE staining results showed, Compared with CON group, pathological changes were found in hippocampus of SD group and SD+LiCl group. RT-PCR showed thatCompared with CON group, the mRNA expression of NF-κB and NLRP3 in LiCl group were not significantly different(F=4.629,P=0.147, F=15.555,P=0.107).However, the SD group were significantly increased (F=6.969,P<0.001,F=15.833,P=0.017).

NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway may play a regulatory role in the development of SD-induced anxiety-depression-like behavior in mice.