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. 2022 Sep;19(9):703-711.
doi: 10.30773/pi.2022.0100. Epub 2022 Sep 22.

Association Between the C4 Binding Protein Level and White Matter Integrity in Major Depressive Disorder

Jihoon Park  1 , Youbin Kang  2 , Kyu-Man Han  1 , Woo-Suk Tae  3 , Un-Beom Kang  4 , Hyosub Chu  4 , Byung-Joo Ham  1
Affiliations

Association Between the C4 Binding Protein Level and White Matter Integrity in Major Depressive Disorder

Jihoon Park et al. Psychiatry Investig. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Objective: Considerable evidence suggests that neuroinflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the relationship between serum C4 binding protein (C4BP) and white matter (WM) tract integrity in MDD has not been investigated.

Methods: We obtained diffusion tensor images of 44 patients with MDD and 44 healthy controls and performed TRActs Constrained by UnderLying Anatomy (TRACULA) analysis to assess WM tract integrity. Serum C4-binding protein alpha chain (C4BPA) and C4- binding protein beta chain (C4BPB) levels were measured and in-between group comparisons were obtained. The correlation between serum C4BP levels and WM tract integrity was examined.

Results: In comparison to healthy controls, both serum C4BPA and C4BPB were higher in MDD. Also, fractional anisotropy (FA) was increased in the left cingulum-angular bundle (CAB) in MDD, but not healthy controls (HCs). A significant correlation was found between serum C4BP and FA levels in the right cingulum-cingulate gyrus bundle (CCG) in MDD.

Conclusion: This study is the first to investigate the correlation between serum C4BP levels and WM tract integrity in MDD. We identified an increase in WM integrity in the left CAB region in MDD. Furthermore, serum C4BP levels were higher in MDD, and this finding correlated with increased WM integrity in the right CCG region.

Keywords: C4 binding protein; Complement; Major depressive disorder; Neuroinflammation; White matter tract integrity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest

Kyu-Man Han, a contributing editor of the Psychiatry Investigation, was not involved in the editorial evaluation or decision to publish this article. All remaining authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

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