CD36 deficiency affects depressive-like behaviors possibly by modifying gut microbiota and the inflammasome pathway in mice

Both inflammatory processes and gut microbiota have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depressive disorders. The class B scavenger receptor CD36 is involved in the cytotoxicity associated with inflammation. However, its role in depression has not yet been examined. In this study, we investigated whether CD36 affects depression by modulating the microbiota-gut-inflammasome-brain axis. We used CD36(−/−) (knockout) mice subjected to chronic social defeat stress, and measured the expression of CD36 in these depressed mice and in patients with depression. The hippocampus of CD36(−/−) mice was used to investigate changes in the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway. The 16S rRNA gene sequence-based approach was used to compare the cecal microbial communities in CD36(−/−) and WT mice. The CD36 deficiency in CD36(−/−) mice alleviated chronic stress-induced depression-like behaviors. CD36 was upregulated in depressed mice as well as in depressed patients. Furthermore, the NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway was downregulated in the hippocampus of CD36(−/−) mice. The Simpson Diversity Index revealed increased cecal bacterial alpha-diversity in the CD36(−/−) mice. Among genera, Bacteroides, Rikenella, and Alloprevotella were significantly more abundant in the CD36(−/−) mice, whereas Allobaculum was less abundant, consistent with the attenuated inflammation in the hippocampus of CD36(−/−) mice. Our findings suggest that CD36 deficiency changes the gut microbiota composition, which in turn may impact depressive-like behaviors by affecting the inflammasome pathway.