title: Serum sortilin-derived propeptides concentrations are decreased in major depressive disorder patients.
abstract: Despite intense research on mechanisms underlying the depressive pathophysiology, reliable biomarkers to assess antidepressant treatment response are still lacking. Since the sortilin-derived propeptide (PE) displays potent antidepressant activities and can be measured in the blood of rodents, we wondered whether in human its seric level can vary between patients affected by major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls and after antidepressant treatment.
  
  
  
  By using a specific dosing method, characterized by structure-recognition analysis with various synthesized PE analogues, we conducted a translational study to test whether blood levels of PE are under pathophysiological regulation and could serve as biomarkers of the depression state.
  
  
  
  The serum concentration of PE, a peptide displaying potent antidepressant activities in rodents, is decreased in patients affected by major depressive disorder (MDD) when compared to healthy non-psychiatric controls cohort (p=0.035). Interestingly, pharmacological antidepressant treatments restore normal PE levels.
  
  
  
  The limitation of the study concerns the relatively small patient samples that could negatively affect the likelihood that a nominally statistically significant finding actually reflects a true effect.
  
  
  
  The longitudinal quantification of the serum PE concentration could assist psychiatrists in the diagnosis of antidepressant response efficacy, and the need to modify the therapeutic strategy.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7275, Université Côte d'Azur, 660 route des Lucioles, 06560 Valbonne, France.
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Devader
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7275, Université Côte d'Azur, 660 route des Lucioles, 06560 Valbonne, France.
authors.forename: Morgane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roulot
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7275, Université Côte d'Azur, 660 route des Lucioles, 06560 Valbonne, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moréno
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Biology and Genetic Division, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Minelli
authors.affiliation: Psychiatric Hospital "Villa Santa Chiara", Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bortolomasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Biology and Genetic Division, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Congiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Biology and Genetic Division, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; Genetic Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gennarelli
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7275, Université Côte d'Azur, 660 route des Lucioles, 06560 Valbonne, France.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borsotto
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7275, Université Côte d'Azur, 660 route des Lucioles, 06560 Valbonne, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Heurteaux
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7275, Université Côte d'Azur, 660 route des Lucioles, 06560 Valbonne, France. Electronic address: mazella@ipmc.cnrs.fr.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mazella
mesh_terms: D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008875:Middle Aged; D013550:Swimming / Q000523:psychology; D000099183:Sortilin
chemical_list: D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport; D015415:Biomarkers; D000099183:Sortilin
keywords: Biomarker; Depression; Diagnosis; Propeptide; Sortilin; TREK-1