However, only a few studies have investigated serum VEGF levels in individuals with depression, or the possible association between genetic variants within the VEGF gene and depression.
In this study, we have observed that Nrf2 deletion in mice results in: (i) a depressive-like behavior evaluated as an increase in the immobility time in the tail-suspension test and by a decrease in the grooming time in the splash test, (ii) reduced levels of dopamine and serotonin and increased levels of glutamate in the prefrontal cortex, (iii) altered levels of proteins associated to depression such as VEGF and synaptophysin and (iv) microgliosis.
Elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are observed in conditions with vessel and neuron damage or pathological arborization and can therefore be detected in chronic inflammatory process, cardiovascular disease and depression.
Elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are observed in conditions with vessel and neuron damage or pathological arborization and can therefore be detected in chronic inflammatory process, cardiovascular disease and depression.
In this study, we have observed that Nrf2 deletion in mice results in: (i) a depressive-like behavior evaluated as an increase in the immobility time in the tail-suspension test and by a decrease in the grooming time in the splash test, (ii) reduced levels of dopamine and serotonin and increased levels of glutamate in the prefrontal cortex, (iii) altered levels of proteins associated to depression such as VEGF and synaptophysin and (iv) microgliosis.
However, only a few studies have investigated serum VEGF levels in individuals with depression, or the possible association between genetic variants within the VEGF gene and depression.
We analyzed 38 MDD patients and 38 healthy control individuals and observed that the MDD group had a significantly higher VEGFA mRNA level and protein serum concentration (P=0.001; P<0.001, respectively).
Then, we genotyped two single nucleotide polymorphic markers of VEGF gene, which were reported to be associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease, in patients with MDD and control subjects (n=154, each).
We hypothesized that common genetic variants in the VEGF gene (official gene name: VEGFA) may be associated with the therapeutic response to antidepressants in major depressive disorders (MDD).
In mice, prenatal alcohol exposure induced a reduction of cortical vascular density, loss of the radial orientation of microvessels, and altered expression of VEGF receptors.
Polymorphisms in IL1B, IL1RN, and VEGFA as well as IL1B/IL1RN haplotype analysis may serve as molecular markers for tumor recurrence in stage II colon cancer, indicating that the analysis of angiogenesis-related gene polymorphisms may help to identify patient subgroups at high risk for tumor recurrence.
In future, determination of VEGF gene polymorphisms and thus individual patient VEGF "signatures" may be used as a prognostic factor for psoriasis susceptibility/severity and as a means for optimizing treatment response.