title: Association of brain-derived neurotrophic factor DNA methylation and reduced white matter integrity in the anterior corona radiata in major depression.
abstract: Considerable evidence suggests a crucial role for the epigenetic regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the relationship between BDNF DNA methylation and white matter (WM) integrity in MDD has not yet been investigated. In the current study, we examined the association between the DNA methylation status of the BDNF promoter region and WM integrity in MDD. Sixty patients with MDD and 53 healthy controls underwent T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), to assess their WM integrity. BDNF DNA methylation at 4 CpG sites of the promoter region was also measured. As compared to healthy controls, the MDD group demonstrated reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) in the bilateral anterior and posterior corona radiata (ACR and PCR), genu of the corpus callosum, and the bilateral posterior thalamic radiations. We observed a significant inverse correlation between the DNA methylation of the BDNF promoter region and the FA of the right ACR in MDD patients. Our findings demonstrate a relationship between methylation of the BDNF promoter region and the integrity of the ACR, a key structural component of the emotional and cognitive control network involved in the pathophysiology of MDD. This correlation suggests that BDNF DNA methylation may contribute to structural WM changes in MDD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sunyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu-Man
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eunsoo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Won
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bong-June
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hambj@chol.com.
authors.forename: Byung-Joo
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Ham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003071:Cognition; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology; D019175:DNA Methylation; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D004644:Emotions; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; C579455:BDNF protein, human
keywords: Anterior corona radiata; Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF); DNA methylation; Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI); Major depressive disorder