DNA methylation signatures of symptoms in patients with depression
2018
Erasmus MC-University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Depressive disorders arise from a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors. Epigenetic factors represent a plausible mechanism by which gene-environment interactions lead to depression. Large-scale, epigenome-wide studies of depression are lacking, making identification of potentially modifiable biomarkers difficult.
The aim of this work was to use blood DNA methylation to identify epigenetic mechanisms underlying depression in middle-aged and older individuals. Data obtained from epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology (CHARGE) consortium were used.
The EWAS included 7948 individuals of European ancestry from 9 population-based cohorts. The study included participants who had both depressive symptoms and DNA methylation assessed in whole blood. Results from EWAS were summarized using a sample-weighted meta-analysis. Replication of key epigenetic sites was performed in 3308 individuals of African American and European ancestry from two population-based cohorts.
Whole blood DNA methylation levels were determined, and depressive symptoms were assessed using a questionnaire.
This study identifies 3 methylated sites associated with depressive symptoms. All 3 findings suggest that axon guidance is frequently impaired in depression. The results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the complex pathophysiology of depression. Further studies are needed to determine the utility of these findings as biomarkers for depression and to evaluate a potential role in the pathophysiology of depression and its downstream clinical implications.
DNA methylation signatures of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly persons
Henning Tiemeier
Added on: 05-10-2023
[1] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2687369
