title: The inflammatory cytokines: molecular biomarkers for major depressive disorder?
abstract: Cytokines are pleotropic cell signaling proteins that, in addition to their role as inflammatory mediators, also affect neurotransmitter systems, brain functionality and mood. Here we explore the potential utility of cytokine biomarkers for major depressive disorder. Specifically, we explore how genetic, transcriptomic and proteomic information relating to the cytokines might act as biomarkers, aiding clinical diagnosis and treatment selection processes. We advise future studies to investigate whether cytokine biomarkers might differentiate major depressive disorder patients from other patient groups with overlapping clinical characteristics. Furthermore, we invite future pharmacogenetic studies to investigate whether early antidepressant-induced changes to cytokine mRNA or protein levels precede behavioral changes and act as longer-term predictors of clinical antidepressant response.
authors: MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, PO 80, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK. timothy.powell@kcl.ac.uk.
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Martin
authors: Katherine E
authors: KE
authors: Tansey
authors: Leonard C
authors: LC
authors: Schalkwyk
authors: Timothy R
authors: TR
authors: Powell
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators
keywords: antidepressants; biomarkers; cytokines; genetic; major depressive disorder; proteomic; transcriptomic