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PMID
38584764
TITLE
Comprehensive Sex-Stratified Genetic Analysis of 28 Blood Biomarkers and Depression Reveals a Significant Association between Depression and Low Levels of Total Protein in Females.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION NlmCategory: UNASSIGNED
Major depression (MD) is more common amongst women than men, and MD episodes have been associated with fluctuations in reproductive hormones amongst women. To investigate biological underpinnings of heterogeneity in MD, the associations between depression, stratified by sex and including perinatal depression (PND), and blood biomarkers, using UK Biobank (UKB) data, were evaluated, and extended to include the association of depression with biomarker polygenic scores (PGS), generated as proxy for each biomarker.
METHOD NlmCategory: UNASSIGNED
Major depression (MD) is more common amongst women than men, and MD episodes have been associated with fluctuations in reproductive hormones amongst women. To investigate biological underpinnings of heterogeneity in MD, the associations between depression, stratified by sex and including perinatal depression (PND), and blood biomarkers, using UK Biobank (UKB) data, were evaluated, and extended to include the association of depression with biomarker polygenic scores (PGS), generated as proxy for each biomarker. Using female ( = 39,761) and male ( = 38,821) UKB participants, lifetime MD and PND were tested for association with 28 blood biomarkers. A GWAS was conducted for each biomarker and genetic correlations with depression subgroups were estimated. Using independent data from the Australian Genetics of Depression Study, PGS were constructed for each biomarker, and tested for association with depression status ( [female cases/controls] = 9,006/6,442; [male cases/controls] = 3,106/6,222). Regions of significant local genetic correlation between depression subgroups and biomarkers highlighted by the PGS analysis were identified.
RESULTS NlmCategory: UNASSIGNED
Major depression (MD) is more common amongst women than men, and MD episodes have been associated with fluctuations in reproductive hormones amongst women. To investigate biological underpinnings of heterogeneity in MD, the associations between depression, stratified by sex and including perinatal depression (PND), and blood biomarkers, using UK Biobank (UKB) data, were evaluated, and extended to include the association of depression with biomarker polygenic scores (PGS), generated as proxy for each biomarker. Using female ( = 39,761) and male ( = 38,821) UKB participants, lifetime MD and PND were tested for association with 28 blood biomarkers. A GWAS was conducted for each biomarker and genetic correlations with depression subgroups were estimated. Using independent data from the Australian Genetics of Depression Study, PGS were constructed for each biomarker, and tested for association with depression status ( [female cases/controls] = 9,006/6,442; [male cases/controls] = 3,106/6,222). Regions of significant local genetic correlation between depression subgroups and biomarkers highlighted by the PGS analysis were identified. Depression in females was significantly associated with levels of twelve biomarkers, including total protein (OR = 0.90, CI = [0.86, 0.94], = 3.9 × 10 ) and vitamin D (OR = 0.94, CI = [0.90, 0.97], = 2.6 × 10 ), and PND with five biomarker levels, also including total protein (OR = 0.88, CI = [0.81, 0.96], = 4.7 × 10 ). Depression in males was significantly associated with levels of eleven biomarkers. In the independent Australian Genetics of Depression Study, PGS analysis found significant associations for female depression and PND with total protein (female depression: OR = 0.93, CI = [0.88, 0.98], = 3.6 × 10 ; PND: OR = 0.91, CI = [0.86, 0.96], = 1.1 × 10 ), as well as with vitamin D (female depression: OR = 0.93, CI = [0.89, 0.97], = 2.0 × 10 ; PND: OR = 0.92, CI = [0.87, 0.97], = 1.4 × 10 ). The male depression sample did not report any significant results, and the point estimate of total protein (OR = 0.98, CI = [0.92-1.04], = 4.7 × 10 ) did not indicate any association. Local genetic correlation analysis highlighted significant genetic correlation between PND and total protein, located in 5q13.3 ( = 0.68, CI = [0.33, 1.0], = 3.6 × 10 ).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION NlmCategory: UNASSIGNED
Major depression (MD) is more common amongst women than men, and MD episodes have been associated with fluctuations in reproductive hormones amongst women. To investigate biological underpinnings of heterogeneity in MD, the associations between depression, stratified by sex and including perinatal depression (PND), and blood biomarkers, using UK Biobank (UKB) data, were evaluated, and extended to include the association of depression with biomarker polygenic scores (PGS), generated as proxy for each biomarker. Using female ( = 39,761) and male ( = 38,821) UKB participants, lifetime MD and PND were tested for association with 28 blood biomarkers. A GWAS was conducted for each biomarker and genetic correlations with depression subgroups were estimated. Using independent data from the Australian Genetics of Depression Study, PGS were constructed for each biomarker, and tested for association with depression status ( [female cases/controls] = 9,006/6,442; [male cases/controls] = 3,106/6,222). Regions of significant local genetic correlation between depression subgroups and biomarkers highlighted by the PGS analysis were identified. Depression in females was significantly associated with levels of twelve biomarkers, including total protein (OR = 0.90, CI = [0.86, 0.94], = 3.9 × 10 ) and vitamin D (OR = 0.94, CI = [0.90, 0.97], = 2.6 × 10 ), and PND with five biomarker levels, also including total protein (OR = 0.88, CI = [0.81, 0.96], = 4.7 × 10 ). Depression in males was significantly associated with levels of eleven biomarkers. In the independent Australian Genetics of Depression Study, PGS analysis found significant associations for female depression and PND with total protein (female depression: OR = 0.93, CI = [0.88, 0.98], = 3.6 × 10 ; PND: OR = 0.91, CI = [0.86, 0.96], = 1.1 × 10 ), as well as with vitamin D (female depression: OR = 0.93, CI = [0.89, 0.97], = 2.0 × 10 ; PND: OR = 0.92, CI = [0.87, 0.97], = 1.4 × 10 ). The male depression sample did not report any significant results, and the point estimate of total protein (OR = 0.98, CI = [0.92-1.04], = 4.7 × 10 ) did not indicate any association. Local genetic correlation analysis highlighted significant genetic correlation between PND and total protein, located in 5q13.3 ( = 0.68, CI = [0.33, 1.0], = 3.6 × 10 ). Multiple lines of evidence from genetic analysis highlight an association between total serum protein levels and depression in females. Further research involving prospective measurement of total protein and depressive symptoms is warranted.
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.
DATE PUBLISHED
2024 Jan-Dec
HISTORY
PUBSTATUS PUBSTATUSDATE
received 2023/09/13
accepted 2024/02/14
pmc-release 2024/08/28
medline 2024/04/08 06:44
pubmed 2024/04/08 06:43
entrez 2024/04/08 04:18
AUTHORS
NAME COLLECTIVENAME LASTNAME FORENAME INITIALS AFFILIATION AFFILIATIONINFO
Kiewa J Kiewa Jacqueline J Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Meltzer-Brody S Meltzer-Brody Samantha S Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Milgrom J Milgrom Jeannette J Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Guintivano J Guintivano Jerry J Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Hickie IB Hickie Ian B IB Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Whiteman DC Whiteman David C DC QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Olsen CM Olsen Catherine M CM QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Medland SE Medland Sarah E SE QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Martin NG Martin Nicholas G NG QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Wray NR Wray Naomi R NR Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Byrne EM Byrne Enda M EM Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
INVESTIGATORS
JOURNAL
VOLUME: 10
ISSUE: 1-4
TITLE: Complex psychiatry
ISOABBREVIATION: Complex Psychiatry
YEAR: 2024
MONTH:
DAY:
MEDLINEDATE:
SEASON: Jan-Dec
CITEDMEDIUM: Print
ISSN: 2673-3005
ISSNTYPE: Print
MEDLINE JOURNAL
MEDLINETA: Complex Psychiatry
COUNTRY: Switzerland
ISSNLINKING: 2673-298X
NLMUNIQUEID: 101764441
PUBLICATION TYPE
PUBLICATIONTYPE TEXT
Journal Article
COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS
GRANTS
GENERAL NOTE
KEYWORDS
KEYWORD
Biomarker
GWAS
Genetic correlation
Major depression
Perinatal depression
Polygenic scores
Sex stratification
MESH HEADINGS
SUPPLEMENTARY MESH
GENE SYMBOLS
CHEMICALS
OTHER ID's