A Simple Blood Test Detects Suicidal Tendencies in Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 06 May 2022 |
|
A gene expression signature found in blood and brain tissue from individuals with major depressive disorder seemed to be associated with the likelihood of development of suicidal behavior.
Suicide is a serious global public health problem that accounts for close to 800,000 deaths per year, and since major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common diagnosis among suicides, identifying those at the highest risk for suicide is a pressing challenge.
To meet this challenge, investigators at the University of California, Irvine (USA) collected blood and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) samples from MDD patients who died by suicide (MDD-S), MDDs who died by other means (MDD-NS), and non-psychiatric controls. Gene expression was analyzed using RNA and the NanoString (Seattle, WA, USA) platform.
Results revealed 14 genes in the blood samples that significantly differentiated MDD-S versus MDD-NS. The top six genes differentially expressed in blood were: PER3, MTPAP, SLC25A26, CD19, SOX9, and GAR1. Additionally, four genes showed significant changes in brain and blood between MDD-S and MDD-NS; SOX9 was decreased and PER3 was increased in MDD-S in both tissues, while CD19 and TERF1 were increased in blood but decreased in DLPFC. These changes in gene expression reflected stress response, including polyamine metabolism, circadian rhythm, immune dysregulation, and telomere maintenance.
“These blood biomarkers are an important step toward developing blood tests to identify patients with imminent risk of ending their lives,” said senior author Dr. Adolfo Sequeira, associate researcher in the department of psychiatry and human behavior at the University of California, Irvine. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to analyze blood and brain samples in a well-defined population of MDDs demonstrating significant differences in gene expression associated with completed suicide.”
The study was published in the April 14, 2022, online edition of the journal Translational Psychiatry.
Related Links:
University of California, Irvine
NanoString
Latest Molecular Diagnostics News
- Blood Test for Lung Cancer Screening Receives FDA Breakthrough Device Designation
- Sequencing-Based Newborn Screening Identifies Pediatric Cancer Risk at Birth
- Liquid Biopsy Combines Multiple Signals for Cancer Detection in a Single Analysis
- Newborn Screening Program Adds Spinal Muscular Atrophy Testing Across England
- Blood Test Could Help Fast-Track Lymphoma Diagnosis in Resource-Limited Settings
- Liquid Biopsy Assay Enriches Tumor DNA for Early Detection and Monitoring
- Whole-Cell Genomic Analysis Expands the Potential of Liquid Biopsy
- Point-of-Care Multiplex PCR Test Submitted to FDA for Flu A/B and RSV Detection
- New PCR Assays Expand Cyclospora Testing for Outbreak Surveillance
- Single Liquid Biopsy Predicts Early Immunotherapy Benefit in Advanced Lung Cancer
- Machine Learning Tool Improves Prediction of Liver Cancer Recurrence
- AI-Powered Liquid Biopsy Detects Liver Cancer Across Diverse Populations
- Circular RNAs Enable Noninvasive Cancer Detection and Risk Assessment
- Polygenic Risk Score Test Estimates Inherited Coronary Artery Disease Risk
- AI Tool Improves Long-Read Detection of Cancer Mutations
- FDA Clears Molecular Test for Bacterial Vaginosis and Candida Vaginitis
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Blood Biomarker Study Reveals Population-Specific Differences in Alzheimer’s Disease
Blood-based biomarkers are emerging as tools for detecting Alzheimer’s disease–related changes without relying on advanced brain imaging or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis. However, much of the foundational... Read more
New Chairside Oral Swab Test Could Guide Biopsy Decisions in Oral Cancer
Oral squamous cell carcinoma can be difficult to triage at the point of care, resulting in frequent biopsies of lesions that ultimately prove benign. Limited access to pathology services in many communities... Read more
Hematology
view channel
New Genetic Findings Reveal Cause of Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome
Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) impair the bone marrow’s ability to produce sufficient healthy blood cells and are associated with an increased risk of early-onset myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).... Read more
Ultra-Portable Device Enables Finger-Prick Blood Testing at Home
Patients who need frequent blood tests often face repeated clinic visits that burden services and disrupt care. In the UK, millions of tests are performed each year to diagnose disease, guide therapy,... Read more
Immunology
view channel
Immune Biomarkers May Predict Recurrent Checkpoint Inhibitor Arthritis
Inflammatory arthritis is a recognized immune-related adverse event in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer. Between 20% and 50% of affected patients experience more than... Read more
Immune Cell Blood Test May Predict Melanoma Immunotherapy Response
Melanoma remains one of the deadliest skin cancers, although outcomes improve markedly when the disease is detected early. Immunotherapy has extended survival for many patients with advanced melanoma,... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
Surveillance and Susceptibility Testing Track Rising Candida Auris in U.S.
Drug-resistant fungal infections are straining infection control and treatment in hospitals and long-term care facilities, where rapid transmission can lead to severe outcomes. Candida auris has expanded... Read more
Plasma Cell-Free DNA Test Enables Earlier Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Infections
Invasive fungal infections disproportionately affect immunocompromised patients, while diagnostic delays can contribute to substantial morbidity and mortality. Existing methods often depend on invasive... Read more
Pathology
view channel
AI Uses H&E Slides to Predict Key Biomarkers Across 32 Cancers
Molecular profiling is essential for characterizing solid tumors, but many laboratories still rely on separate genetic assays to detect alterations such as TP53 mutations. These workflows can be resource-intensive... Read more
AI Tool Identifies Slide Artifacts to Speed Digital Pathology Diagnosis
Pathology laboratories face growing case volumes, staffing pressures, and increasing diagnostic complexity that can delay results. At the same time, whole-slide images may contain quality defects such... Read more
FDA-Cleared Digital Pathology Platform Expands Interoperability for Primary Diagnosis
Rising cancer incidence is colliding with a shrinking pathologist workforce, intensifying pressure on diagnostic turnaround times in clinical laboratories. Many labs are adopting digital pathology to manage... Read more
Technology
view channel
Interoperable Data Platform Standardizes Multi-Cancer Blood Test Results
Proteotype Diagnostics has introduced Alchemi, a proprietary data and clinical workflow platform being developed for Enlighten, the company’s investigational blood-based multi-cancer test.... Read more
Training Device Improves Accuracy of Pooled Molecular Diagnostics
High-throughput molecular diagnostics have transformed infectious disease detection, but many workflows remain difficult to execute accurately without extensive training. Sample pooling can cut per‑test... Read more
New CE-Certified Software Advances Whole-Genome Cancer Testing
European hospitals are increasingly using comprehensive tumor genomics to guide therapy, but routine whole genome sequencing (WGS) requires validated, regulation-compliant workflows. A newly CE-certified... Read more
National Rare Disease Registry Standardizes Genetic and Clinical Data for Coordinated Care
Rare diseases collectively impose a significant clinical burden despite their individual rarity, often involving multisystem presentations and prolonged diagnostic journeys. Limited specialist expertise... Read moreIndustry
view channel
Collaboration Supports Global ADC Development with AI-Powered Tissue Analysis
Selecting patients for antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) increasingly requires broader tissue context, as target expression alone may not fully explain therapeutic response. Laboratories and translational... Read more
Standardized Staining Technology Advances Digital Pathology Workflows
Digital pathology is increasingly used to streamline cancer diagnostics, yet staining variability can hinder slide interpretation and limit the reliability of artificial intelligence tools.... Read more
Global Testing Service Advances Leukemia MRD Monitoring
KMT2A rearrangements drive aggressive subsets of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and are associated with relapse and poor outcomes. As menin inhibitors enter clinical... Read more