High-salt diet drives depression-like behavior in mice by inducing IL-17A production

Major depressive disorder is a prevalent condition that significantly impairs social functioning, worsens disease outcomes, and reduces quality of life. Although its precise function is yet unknown, a high-salt diet (HSD) has been closely associated with the development and course of depression. This study by Lu et al. (2025) found that High-salt diet (HSD) triggers depression-like behavior in mice, accompanied by elevated IL-17A production. Notably, RORγt deficiency prevented HSD-induced depressive behaviors. Furthermore, in mice with depression brought on by HSD, γδT17 cells were found to be a major source of IL-17A. Depleting γδT cells using an anti-TCRγδ antibody significantly reduced depression-like symptoms. These findings suggest that increased dietary salt intake contributes to depression, at least in part, by promoting γδT17 cell activation. [NPID: Depression, high-salt diet, IL-17A]

Year: 2025

Reference: Lu, D., Chen, W., Sun, W., Wei, C., Xie, X., Li, N., Yan, H., Chen, Y., Wu, Y., Lei, Z., Xu, L., Zhu, J., Li, Y., Su, C., Li, W., Zhou, S., & Chen, X. (2025). High-salt diet drives depression-like behavior in mice by inducing IL-17A production. The Journal of Immunology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jimmun/vkaf019