Possible involvement of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in N-acetylcysteine-mediated antidepressant-like effects.

Advances in depression research have targeted inflammation and oxidative stress to develop novel types of treatment. The JAK/STAT signaling pathway plays pivotal roles in immune and inflammatory responses. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of N-acetylcysteine, a putative precursor of the antioxidant glutathione, in an animal model of depression, with an emphasis on the JAK/STAT signaling pathway.