Biomarkers of Depression among Adolescent Girls: BDNF and Epigenetics

Alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression have been suggested to mediate the influence of environmental factors on the emergence of depression through epigenetic modifications. However, research on this subject in the developmental population is lacking and the pathophysiolo...

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Published in:International journal of molecular sciences 2024-03, Vol.25 (6), p.3281
Main Authors: Zwolińska, Weronika, Bilska, Karolina, Tarhonska, Kateryna, Reszka, Edyta, Skibińska, Maria, Pytlińska, Natalia, Słopień, Agnieszka, Dmitrzak-Węglarz, Monika
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adolescence
Adolescent
Antidepressants
Antidepressive Agents
Biomarkers
Biomarkers - metabolism
brain-derived neurotrophic factor
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - metabolism
child psychiatry
Child psychopathology
Comparative analysis
depression
Depression - genetics
Depression, Mental
DNA Methylation
Epigenesis, Genetic
Epigenetic inheritance
Epigenetics
Female
Genes
Humans
Methylation
mood disorders
Teenage girls
Teenagers
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Summary:Alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression have been suggested to mediate the influence of environmental factors on the emergence of depression through epigenetic modifications. However, research on this subject in the developmental population is lacking and the pathophysiology of adolescent depression remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the alterations in expression and global DNA methylation in depression among adolescent girls. Thirty female inpatients with the initial diagnosis of depression were assessed before and after the period of antidepressant treatment and compared with thirty age-matched healthy controls. The assessment involved BDNF and proBDNF serum levels, the gene exon IV promoter methylation, and global DNA methylation. The methylation level in the gene exon IV promoter was significantly lower in the studied group compared with the control and correlated negatively with the severity of depression. The test distinguished the studied group from the controls with a sensitivity of 37% and specificity of 90%. The differences were no longer present after the period of antidepressant treatment. No differences in the global DNA methylation, BDNF, and proBDNF levels were found. We concluded that decreased methylation in the exon IV promoter could be considered as a biomarker of a depression state among adolescent girls.
ISSN:1422-0067
1661-6596
1422-0067
DOI:10.3390/ijms25063281