ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Mood Disorders
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1629900
Transcriptomic analysis reveals the key role of inflammatory and immune signaling in the anti-perimenopausal depression effects of Bushen Shugan Huayu decoction
Provisionally accepted
- Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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Background: This study aims to explore the targets and signaling pathways significantly associated with perimenopausal depression through transcriptomics, as well as the potential intervention targets of the BSSGHY decoction. Methods: Five patients diagnosed with perimenopausal depression in Beijing were treated with the BSSGHY decoction and clinically observed. The severity of depression and associated symptoms was assessed using the HAMD, Kupperman, and PSQI scales before and after treatment, and serum levels of inflammatory factors were quantified using ELISA. Differentially expressed genes in PBMCs were identified through mRNA sequencing and subsequently analyzed using DESeq2 software. Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism 10.0, and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed based on the hypergeometric distribution algorithm. Key differentially expressed genes were validated via RT-PCR (qPCR) to quantify mRNA expression levels. Results: Following BSSGHY decoction treatment, patients showed a significant reduction in HAMD scores (p < 0.01), marked symptom relief (p < 0.05), and decreased inflammatory factor levels (p < 0.01). We then conducted RNA-SEQ analysis before and after treatment in patients with perimenopausal depression. Inflammation-related genes such as CXCL8, IL1B, FOSL1, and OSM showed higher expression before treatment, with a downward trend afterward. The analysis of GO and KEGG pathways of differentially expressed genes showed that the involved biological processes and signaling pathways were closely related to inflammation and immunity. qRT-PCR validation showed that FOSL1 and OSM expression decreased after treatment (p < 0.05), while LINC01311 expression increased (p > 0.05). Conclusion: BSSGHY decoction effectively regulates inflammatory and immune factor signaling, reduces the body's inflammatory response, and improves perimenopausal depression.
Keywords: Bushen Shugan Huayu decoction, Transcriptomic Analysis, perimenopausaldepression, Inflammation, Immunity
Received: 16 May 2025; Accepted: 04 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Feng, Chen, Xu, Liu and Zheng. 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: Fengquan Xu, Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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