Decreased levels of whole blood glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in remitted patients with mood disorders.
Recent post-mortem and imaging studies provide evidence for a glial reduction in different brain areas in mood disorders. This study was aimed to test whether glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), a member of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta superfamily, in blood levels was associated with mood disorders. We measured GDNF and TGF-beta levels in whole blood in remitted patients with mood disorders [n=56; major depressive disorders (MDD) 39, bipolar disorders (BD) 17] and control subjects (n=56). GDNF and TGF-beta were assayed with the sandwich ELISA method. Total GDNF levels were significantly lower in MDD and in BD than in control subjects (MDD, p=0.0003; BD, p=0.018), while no significant difference in total TGF-beta1 or total TGF-beta2 levels was found in these groups. Our study suggests that lower GDNF levels might be involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders, although this preliminary study has several limitations.
Takebayashi
Minoru
M
Institute of Clinical Research, Department of Psychiatry, National Hospital Organization (NHO) Kure Medical Center, Kure, and Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Japan. mtakebayashi@kure-nh.go.jp
Hisaoka
Kazue
K
Nishida
Akira
A
Tsuchioka
Mami
M
Miyoshi
Izuru
I
Kozuru
Tosirou
T
Hikasa
Satoshi
S
Okamoto
Yasumasa
Y
Shinno
Hideto
H
Morinobu
Shigeru
S
Yamawaki
Shigeto
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018021:Lithium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018692:Antimanic Agents; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D018021:Lithium Chloride