title: Expression of cAMP response element-binding protein in major depression before and after antidepressant treatment.
abstract: Antidepressants usually take weeks to exert significant therapeutic effects. This lag phase is suggested to be due to neural plasticity, which may be mediated by the coupling of receptors to their respective intracellular signal transduction pathways. Phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), a downstream target of the cAMP signaling pathway, has been reported to be a molecular state marker for the response to antidepressant treatment in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). In order to explore the role of CREB expression in MDD, we used quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to quantify CREB messenger RNA of the peripheral lymphocytes obtained from 21 MDD patients, before and after antidepressant treatment, and 21 normal controls. The results revealed no significant difference of CREB expression between untreated MDD patients and normal controls. However, after 8 weeks of antidepressant treatment, CREB expression was significantly decreased in MDD patients (p = 0.025). The CREB change is not associated with the types of antidepressants and therapeutic response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yuli Veterans Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. ic.lai@msa.hinet.net
authors.forename: I-Ching
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Chen-Jee
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Shih-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger