Association between Methyl-CpG-binding Protein 2 and Major Depressive Disorder

Background: In animal and human cross-sectional studies, methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is associated with depression. But studies examining alterations in MeCP2 levels in patients with depression receiving antidepressant treatment are scarce. Methods: In this study, we intended to collect blo...

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Main Authors: Tien-Wei Hsu, Tiao-Lai Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-04-01
Series:Taiwanese Journal of Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/TPSY.TPSY_18_25
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author Tien-Wei Hsu
Tiao-Lai Huang
author_facet Tien-Wei Hsu
Tiao-Lai Huang
author_sort Tien-Wei Hsu
collection DOAJ
description Background: In animal and human cross-sectional studies, methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is associated with depression. But studies examining alterations in MeCP2 levels in patients with depression receiving antidepressant treatment are scarce. Methods: In this study, we intended to collect blood samples of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls at baseline and after a four-week antidepressant treatment. We measured blood levels of MeCP2 messenger RNA (mRNA) in both the groups. Results: We recruited 48 patients with MDD (women = 36/48, mean age ± S.D. being 44.63 ± 12.11 years) and 38 healthy controls (women = 26/38, mean age ± standard deviation being = 34.75 ± 7.28 years). The MeCP2 mRNA blood levels of the MDD group at baseline (4.02 ± 4.40) and that of the healthy group at baseline (2.18 ± 1.98) were significantly higher (t = 2.58, p < 0.05). After a four-week antidepressant treatment, the MeCP2 mRNA blood level was significantly decreased in treatment responders (n = 31, pretreatment = 4.19 ± 4.02; posttreatment = 3.40 ± 3.19, p = 0.01), but not in nonresponders (n = 15, pretreatment = 3.15 ± 3.47; posttreatment = 3.08 ± 4.42, nonsignificance). After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and educational levels, MeCP2 mRNA blood levels significantly predicted the treatment response in patients with MDD treated with antidepressants compared to those treatment nonresponders (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.23 [1.01–1.53], p < 0.05 ). Conclusion: The MeCP2 mRNA blood levels might play an important rôle in patients with MDD. But we need a larger sample to strengthen the study findings in the future.
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spelling doaj-art-b1df2cbc33ea47618405d75be334374a2025-08-20T02:44:04ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsTaiwanese Journal of Psychiatry1028-36842666-20782025-04-01392909510.4103/TPSY.TPSY_18_25Association between Methyl-CpG-binding Protein 2 and Major Depressive DisorderTien-Wei HsuTiao-Lai HuangBackground: In animal and human cross-sectional studies, methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is associated with depression. But studies examining alterations in MeCP2 levels in patients with depression receiving antidepressant treatment are scarce. Methods: In this study, we intended to collect blood samples of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls at baseline and after a four-week antidepressant treatment. We measured blood levels of MeCP2 messenger RNA (mRNA) in both the groups. Results: We recruited 48 patients with MDD (women = 36/48, mean age ± S.D. being 44.63 ± 12.11 years) and 38 healthy controls (women = 26/38, mean age ± standard deviation being = 34.75 ± 7.28 years). The MeCP2 mRNA blood levels of the MDD group at baseline (4.02 ± 4.40) and that of the healthy group at baseline (2.18 ± 1.98) were significantly higher (t = 2.58, p < 0.05). After a four-week antidepressant treatment, the MeCP2 mRNA blood level was significantly decreased in treatment responders (n = 31, pretreatment = 4.19 ± 4.02; posttreatment = 3.40 ± 3.19, p = 0.01), but not in nonresponders (n = 15, pretreatment = 3.15 ± 3.47; posttreatment = 3.08 ± 4.42, nonsignificance). After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and educational levels, MeCP2 mRNA blood levels significantly predicted the treatment response in patients with MDD treated with antidepressants compared to those treatment nonresponders (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.23 [1.01–1.53], p < 0.05 ). Conclusion: The MeCP2 mRNA blood levels might play an important rôle in patients with MDD. But we need a larger sample to strengthen the study findings in the future.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/TPSY.TPSY_18_25biomarkerbrain-derived neurotrophic factorhamilton rating scale for depressiontreatment response to antidepressant
spellingShingle Tien-Wei Hsu
Tiao-Lai Huang
Association between Methyl-CpG-binding Protein 2 and Major Depressive Disorder
Taiwanese Journal of Psychiatry
biomarker
brain-derived neurotrophic factor
hamilton rating scale for depression
treatment response to antidepressant
title Association between Methyl-CpG-binding Protein 2 and Major Depressive Disorder
title_full Association between Methyl-CpG-binding Protein 2 and Major Depressive Disorder
title_fullStr Association between Methyl-CpG-binding Protein 2 and Major Depressive Disorder
title_full_unstemmed Association between Methyl-CpG-binding Protein 2 and Major Depressive Disorder
title_short Association between Methyl-CpG-binding Protein 2 and Major Depressive Disorder
title_sort association between methyl cpg binding protein 2 and major depressive disorder
topic biomarker
brain-derived neurotrophic factor
hamilton rating scale for depression
treatment response to antidepressant
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/TPSY.TPSY_18_25
work_keys_str_mv AT tienweihsu associationbetweenmethylcpgbindingprotein2andmajordepressivedisorder
AT tiaolaihuang associationbetweenmethylcpgbindingprotein2andmajordepressivedisorder