Transcriptome profiles of mouse cortical cultures and the brain treated with fluoxetine, sertraline or citalopram

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are one of the most prescribed antidepressant classes in recent decades, with the development of numerous variants. While the primary action of these medications involves the inhibition of serotonin reuptake, the observed therapeutic efficacy exhibits interindividual variability. In order to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying their pharmacological actions, this study examined the alteration in the transcriptome following treatment of each SSRI—fluoxetine, sertraline, or citalopram— or vehicle in cultured cortical neurons and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of mice (Mus musculus, Slc:ICR). In vitro experiment: Cortical cultures were obtained from the mouse embryo on embryonic day 15. Fluoxetine, sertraline, or citalopram were administered for each culture for 24 hours from 16 days in vitro (div). In vivo experiment: Male mice at 8 weeks of age were isolated and treated with either fluoxetine, sertraline, or citalopram for 2 weeks via drinking water, and then their mPFC regions were dissected. Those samples were subjected to RNA extraction and library preparation.