Total serum protein and serum protein fractions in depression: relationships to depressive symptoms and glucocorticoid activity

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 61 - 69
• Main Authors: Maes, Michael, Wauters, Annick, Neels, Hugo, Scharpé, Simon, Van Gastel, An, D'Hondt, Peter, Peeters, Dirk, Cosyns, Paul, Desnyder, Roger
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 16.04.1995; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acute-phase protein; Acute-Phase Proteins - metabolism; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Albumin; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Proteins - metabolism; Cortisol; Depression; Depression - blood; Depression - diagnosis; Depression - psychology; Depressive Disorder - blood; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Depressive symptom; Dexamethasone; Electrophoresis; Female; Globulin; HPA axis; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mood disorders; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Reference Values; Serum Albumin - metabolism; Serum Globulins - metabolism; Sickness behavior; Depressive symptom; Sickness behavior; Acute-phase protein; Albumin; Depression; Electrophoresis; Cortisol; HPA axis; Globulin; Human; Mood disorder; Acute phase protein; Pathophysiology; Hypothalamohypophysoadrenal axis; Serum protein; Glucocorticoid
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/0165-0327(94)00106-J

Recently, it has been reported that major depression is accompanied by changes in plasma protein concentrations indicative of an acute-phase protein (APP) response. The purpose of the present study was to examine total serum protein (TSP) and the electrophoretically separated major fractions of serum proteins (SP), i.e., albumin (Alb), α 1, α 2, β and γ globulin, in depression. Highly significant differences were found in TSP and the separated SP fractions between major depressed patients and normal controls and between melancholic and minor depressed patients. Major depressed subjects showed significantly lower TSP and Alb concentrations and a higher percentage of the α 1 globulin fraction than normal controls and minor depressed subjects. Major depressed subjects had significantly higher and lower percentages, respectively, of α 2 and γ globulin fractions than normal controls. In depressed subjects, there were significant negative correlations between TSP or Alb concentrations and severity of illness. Psychomotor retardation and anorexia were psychopathological correlates of lower TSP and Alb concentrations while middle insomnia and psychomotor retardation were related to changes in the α 1 and α 2 globulin fractions. Basal plasma cortisol values were significantly and positively related to serum α 2 globulin. The results support the view that major depression is accompanied by an APP response.