World Health Organization has identified mood disorders as a major cause of mortality, morbidity and disability worldwide [1, 2]. Social defeat is a critical phenotype of mood disorders, including severe depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, autism and schizophrenia. Also social defeat is manifested by symptoms such as social fear, social avoidance and social withdrawal [3–5]. Overcoming social defeat is the primary determinant of the efficacy of drugs and therapeutic methods on mental disorders. However, the etiology and mechanisms of social defeat remain poorly understood.