Theanine, a Tea-Leaf-Specific Amino Acid, Alleviates Stress through Modulation of Npas4 Expression in Group-Housed Older Mice.

ABSTRACT: Group rearing is a common housing condition, but group-housed older mice show increased adrenal hypertrophy, a marker of stress. However, the ingestion of theanine, an amino acid unique to tea leaves, suppressed stress. We aimed to elucidate the mechanism of theanine's stress-reducing effects using group-reared older mice. The expression of repressor element 1 silencing transcription factor (REST), which represses excitability-related genes, was increased in the hippocampus of group-reared older mice, whereas the expression of neuronal PAS domain protein 4 (Npas4), which is involved in the regulation of excitation and inhibition in the brain, was lower in the hippocampus of older group-reared mice than in same-aged two-to-a-house mice. That is, the expression patterns of REST and Npas4 wer

SUBMITTER: Unno K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9962395 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature