Evaluation of DNA methylation in BDNF, SLC6A4, NR3C1 and FKBP5 before and after treatment with selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor in major depressive disorder

Abstract

Aim: To identify the DNA methylation status of related genes in major depressive disorder following selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor treatment. Materials & methods: 45 patients with major depressive disorder and 45 healthy volunteers were considered experimental and control groups, respectively. High-resolution melting real-time PCR was implemented to evaluate DNA methylation. Results: After 100 days of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor treatment, methylation of promoter CpG sites of BDNF, NR3C1, FKBP5 and SLC6A4 was significantly reduced. Compared with before treatment, patients’ Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores were significantly reduced after selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor treatment (p ≤ 0.0001). Conclusion: Based on the proven effect of antidepressants on DNA methylation and gene expression, these medications can improve the treatment process and reduce depression scores after treatment.

Graphical abstract

Overview of pathway connecting risk factors for depression to gene methylation.

Keywords::

• BDNF
• DNA methylation
• FKBP5
• HRM
• MDD
• NR3C1
• SLC6A4

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/epi-2022-0246

MH Ghahremani and A Beh-Pajooh conceived and designed the study. S Mohammadi conducted all experiments and wrote the manuscript. M Ahmadimanesh supervised the experiments. S Mohammadi, MH Ghahremani, M Ghazi-Khansari and R Hosseini analyzed data. SA Moallem, M Ahmadimanesh and Y Hasani-Nourian collected blood samples and extracted DNA. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank MR Khoshayand for his help with statistical analyses and A Kazemi for technical assistance.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was supported by Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (grant no. 97-03-33-40268). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

This study was approved by the ethics review board of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (NO.IR.TUMS.TIPS.REC.1397.146). The authors state that they have obtained verbal and written informed consent from the patients for inclusion of their medical and treatment history in this study.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request. Because of privacy or ethical restrictions, the data are not publicly available.