Nobiletin, an activator of the pyruvate kinase isozyme M1/M2 protein, upregulated the glycolytic signalling pathway and alleviated depressive-like behaviour caused by artificial light exposure at night in zebrafish.

We established a zebrafish model of depression-like behaviour induced by exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) and found that nobiletin (NOB) alleviated depression-like behaviour. Subsequently, based on the results of a 24-h free movement assay, clock gene expression and brain tissue transcriptome sequencing, the glycolysis signalling pathway was identified as a potential target through which NOB exerted antidepressant effects. Using the ALAN zebrafish model, we found that supplementation with exogenous L-lactic acid alleviated depressive-like behaviour.