Cited by 127Treatment of Major DepressionStress Responses and CortisolTryptophan and brain disorders

Depression pathogenesis and treatment: what can we learn from blood mRNA expression?

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Hepgul, Nilay, Cattaneo, Annamaria, Zunszain, Patricia A, Pariante, Carmine M·2013·BMC Medicine

Abstract

Alterations in several biological systems, including the neuroendocrine and immune systems, have been consistently demonstrated in patients with major depressive disorder. These alterations have been predominantly studied using easily accessible systems such as blood and saliva. In recent years there has been an increasing body of evidence supporting the use of peripheral blood gene expression to investigate the pathogenesis of depression, and to identify relevant biomarkers. In this paper we review the current literature on gene expression alterations in depression, focusing in particular on three important and interlinked biological domains: inflammation, glucocorticoid receptor functionality and neuroplasticity. We also briefly review the few existing transcriptomics studies. Our review summarizes data showing that patients with major depressive disorder exhibit an altered pattern of expression in several genes belonging to these three biological domains when compared with healthy controls. In particular, we show evidence for a pattern of 'state-related' gene expression changes that are normalized either by remission or by antidepressant treatment. Taken together, these findings highlight the use of peripheral blood gene expression as a clinically relevant biomarker approach.

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  • Measurement of blood mRNA immune genes is a reliable and clinically significant biomarker in psychoneuroimmunology, complementing (and at times surpassing) routine measurement of serum/plasma cytokines.

    “have established the measurement of blood mRNA immune genes as a reliable and clinically significant biomarker in the context of psychoneuroimmunology, to complement (and at times surpass) the routine measurement of serum/plasma cytokines (Hepgul et al., 2013).”

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Authors
Hepgul, N., Cattaneo, A., Zunszain, P. A., & Pariante, C. M.
Affiliations
King's College London (GB)
Corresponding author
Pariante, Carmine M
Venue
BMC Medicine
Published
2013-02-05
Volume
11
Issue
1
Pages
28-28
ISSN
1741-7015 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2030900581
Cited by
127
References
86
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 5
FWCI
1.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • BMC Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (MR/J002739/1)
  • National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
  • Psychiatry Research Trust
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (MR/J002739/1)
  • King's College London
  • Medical Research Council (MR/J002739/1)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
Keywords
major depressive disorder, depression pathogenesis, peripheral blood gene expression, biomarkers, inflammation, glucocorticoid receptor, neuroplasticity, transcriptomics, antidepressant response, remission, neuroendocrine system, immune system
MeSH terms
Depression, Humans, Inflammation, Neuronal Plasticity, Receptors, Glucocorticoid, Microarray Analysis, Transcriptome

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