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REVIEW article

Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Neuropharmacology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1461995
This article is part of the Research Topic Neuropharmacological Intervention for Severe Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention View all 6 articles

The role of exercise-related FNDC5/irisin in depression

Provisionally accepted
Yaqi Liu Yaqi Liu 1Xiying Fu Xiying Fu 1Xing Zhao Xing Zhao 2Ranji Cui Ranji Cui 1Yang Wei Yang Wei 1*
  • 1 Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, changchun, China
  • 2 Jilin University, Changchun, Hebei Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The complexity of depression presents a significant challenge to traditional treatment methods, such as medication and psychotherapy. Recent studies have shown that exercise can effectively reduce depressive symptoms, offering a new alternative for treating depression. However, some depressed patients are unable to engage in regular physical activity due to age, physical limitations, and other factors. Therefore, pharmacological agents that mimic the effects of exercise become a potential treatment option. A newly discovered myokine, irisin, which is produced during exercise via cleavage of its precursor protein fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5), plays a key role in regulating energy metabolism, promoting adipose tissue browning, and improving insulin resistance. Importantly, FNDC5 can promote neural stem cell differentiation, enhance neuroplasticity, and improve mood and cognitive function. This review systematically reviews the mechanisms of action of exercise in the treatment of depression, outlines the physiology of exercise-related irisin, and explores possible mechanisms of irisin's antidepressant effects. The aim of this review is to encourage future research and clinical applications of irisin in the prevention and treatment of depression.

    Keywords: Exercise, FNDC5/irisin, Depression, Metabolism, BDNF, Neurogenesis, Inflammation, Oxidative Stress

    Received: 09 Jul 2024; Accepted: 03 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Liu, Fu, Zhao, Cui and Wei. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yang Wei, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, changchun, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.