Abstract
Several studies have suggested a pathophysiological role of blood cell apoptosis in major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of this study was to evaluate mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, and Fas in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of MDD patients with a high risk for suicide relative to those without a high risk for suicide as well as healthy subjects. The mRNA expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and Fas as well as the Bcl-2/Bax ratio was examined in the PBMCs of 30 MDD patients with a high risk for suicide, 30 MDD patients without a high risk for suicide, and 30 healthy controls. The mRNA expression of target genes was measured using real-time quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). FAS mRNA expression was significantly increased, and Bcl-2 mRNA expression and the Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio were significantly decreased, in the PBMCs of MDD patients with or without a high risk for suicide attempts compared to healthy controls (p <.001). However, Bax mRNA expression was significantly increased only in MDD patients with a high risk for suicide. Moreover, MDD patients with a high risk for suicide had increased Bax and FAS mRNA expression and decreased Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Bax ratio when compared to patients without risk for suicide (p <.001). Our findings may support the role of both internal and external apoptotic pathways in the interplay between the immune system and depressive symptoms, especially in patients with a high risk for suicide.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 388-396 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics |
Volume | 177 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2018 Jun |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Keywords
- PBMCs
- apoptosis
- major depressive disorder
- suicide
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Genetics(clinical)
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience