Human neuropsin gene in depression.

BACKGROUND: Neuropsin (NP, kallikrein 8, KLK8) - a kallikrein gene-related (KLK) endoprotease - plays a key role in neuroplasticity processes, since intracellular signal cascades and regulation of gene expression are engaged in long-term synaptic plasticity. The main aim of this paper is to compare expression of the human neuropsin gene on the mRNA level in a group of patients diagnosed with depression and in a group of healthy subjects who have never been treated psychiatrically.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 291 people, aged 18-67, were qualified to participate in the experiment: major recurrent depression group (MRD) and the control group (CG). Designations were carried out for the human NP gene (hNP).

RESULTS: For hNP gene expression at the mRNA level was higher in patients with depression than in the CG (p<0.005). A Spearman's rank correlation analysis did not reveal any statistically significant relationship between the intensity of the disease measured using the HDRS scale and expression on the mRNA level for the hNP gene. Expression for the hNP gene in the entire group analysed increased with age of the examined individuals (p<0.005).

CONCLUSION: Expression of the hNP gene on the mRNA level, evaluated based on peripheral blood, is significantly higher in the patients with MRD than in the healthy subjects.