title: Elevated circulating vascular cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) is associated with concurrent depressive symptoms and cerebral white matter Hyperintensities in older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Circulating vascular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) is a presumed marker of endothelial activation and dysfunction, but little is known about its association with mood. We hypothesized that elevated plasma concentrations of sVCAM-1 may be a marker of depressive symptoms due to cerebral vascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 680 community-dwelling participants in the MOBILIZE Boston Study, aged 65 years and older. sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were measured by ELISA assay and depressive symptoms were assessed during home interviews using the Revised Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-R). Cerebral White Matter Hyperintensities (WMHs) were quantified by MRI in a subgroup of 25 participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred seventy nine (27 %) subjects had a CESD-R Score ≥ 16, indicative of depressive symptoms. The mean sVCAM-1 concentration (±SD) was 1176 ± 417 ng/mL in a group with CESD-R Scores <16 and 1239 ± 451 ng/mL in those with CESD-R Scores ≥16 (p = 0.036). CESD-R Score was positively associated with sVCAM-1 (r = 0.11, p = 0.004). The highest quintile of sVCAM-1, which is indicative of endothelial dysfunction, was significantly associated with depressive symptoms compared to the lowest quintile (OR = 1.97 (1.14-3.57) p = 0.015). In a subset of subjects, sVCAM-1 concentration was positively correlated with cerebral WMHs volume (p = 0.018).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association between high levels of sVCAM-1 and depressive symptoms may be due to endothelial dysfunction from cerebral microvascular damage. Future longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether sVCAM-1 can serve as a biomarker for cerebrovascular causes of depression.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. achilletchalla@hsl.harvard.edu.|Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. achilletchalla@hsl.harvard.edu.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. achilletchalla@hsl.harvard.edu.|Geriatric Medicine Department, IFR 145 GEIST; EA 6310 HAVAE (Disability, Activity, Aging, Autonomy and Environment), Limoges University, CHU Limoges, Limoges, F-87025, France. achilletchalla@hsl.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Achille E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Tchalla
authors.affiliation: Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Massachusetts, USA. gregory_wellenius@brown.edu.
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Wellenius
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Stroke Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 45 Francis St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. fsorond@partners.org.
authors.forename: Farzaneh A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Sorond
authors.affiliation: Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. tgt@hsl.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Travison
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Medicine Department, IFR 145 GEIST; EA 6310 HAVAE (Disability, Activity, Aging, Autonomy and Environment), Limoges University, CHU Limoges, Limoges, F-87025, France. thierry.dantoine@chu-limoges.fr.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dantoine
authors.affiliation: Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. llipsitz@bidmc.harvard.edu.|Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. llipsitz@bidmc.harvard.edu.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. llipsitz@bidmc.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Lewis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lipsitz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001900:Boston; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1