Maria Abate, Italy
Psychiatric Hospital Villa Santa ChiaraAuthor Of 1 Presentation
Genetic determinants of circulating VEGF levels in major depressive disorder and electroconvulsive therapy response - EPP0409
Abstract
Introduction
The Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an angiogenic cytokine, which induces vasopermeability and is also implicated in several neuronal processes regulating growth, differentiation, survival, neuroprotection and regeneration. Modifications in peripheral VEGF levels were observed in major depressive disorder (MDD) and relative treatments and shown to be influenced by genetic variants.
Objectives
The study objective was to explore, at a genome-wide level, possible interplaying effects between the genetic background and MDD in regulating VEGF levels. Moreover, we aimed to investigate the association between these variants and response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
Methods
A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was carried out both on controls and MDD patients (n=145; n=121) in correlation with serum VEGF levels determined by ELISA. Five SNPs not included in SNP arrays were additionally genotyped. Seventy-one patients with treatment-resistant depression underwent ECT and were evaluated as responders/non-responders.
Results
An association between VEGF levels and a locus in 6p21.1, downstream the VEGF gene, was evidenced both in controls (best SNP: p=3.74x10-11) and in MDD patients (best SNP: p=1.14x10-8). The alleles associated with lower VEGF concentrations in MDD patients were also associated with non-response to ECT (p=0.01).
Conclusions
These results confirm a role of SNPs in 6p21.1 locus as major influencers of circulating VEGF levels also in patients affected by MDD and they show for the first time a possible implication in ECT response. MDD does not appear to have a relationship with these variants and to affect VEGF concentrations. It would be appropriate to consider these genetic variants when comparing VEGF levels between cases and controls.