ALPHA PSYCHIATRY
Original Articles

Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene (NR3C1) Expression in the Pathogenesis of Depression in Cancer

1.

Department of Psychiatry, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Busan, Republic of Korea

2.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea

3.

Department of Clinical Psychology, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Busan, Republic of Korea

4.

Division of Hematology-Oncology of Internal medicine, Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Busan, Republic of Korea

5.

Department of Surgery, Inje University College of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea

Alpha Psychiatry 2022; 23: 294-297
DOI: 10.5152/alphapsychiatry.2022.22944
Read: 1108 Downloads: 401 Published: 24 October 2022

Background: This study aimed to compare the NR3C1 expression among cancer patients with major depressive disorder (cancer depression), cancer patients without major depressive disorder (cancer non-depression), and major depressive disorder patients without cancer (general depression), as a preliminary investigation of epigenetic changes in the glucocorticoid receptor gene.

Methods: From May 2019 to November 2019, patients were recruited from the Department of Psychiatry, Cancer Center in Busan, Korea. For gene expression studies, primers were designed using the Primer3 web tool (http://frodo.wi.mit.edu/primer3), and amplification reactions were performed.

Results: Expression levels of NR3C1 were lower in cancer depression and general depression than in cancer non-depression group. Given that we observed downregulation of the NR3C1 gene expression in depressive patients regardless of cancer status, it appears that methylation changes in NR3C1 may contribute to the pathophysiology of depression.

Conclusion: The results of this study imply that the expression of NR3C1 may be decreased in major depressive disorder.

Cite this article as: Shim IH, Yi JM, Ha SH, Kwon KA, Bae DS. Glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) expression in the pathogenesis of depression in cancer. Alpha Psychiatry. 2022;23(6):294-297.

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