Tryptophan catabolites and depression in the general population: results from the Gutenberg Health Study
Abstract Previous studies reported significantly altered tryptophan catabolite concentrations in major depression. Thus, tryptophan catabolites were considered as potential biomarkers of depression and their modulators as potential targets for psychopharmacotherapy. However, the results were based m...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04520-6 |
| _version_ | 1797952404146094080 |
|---|---|
| author | Matthias Michal Andreas Schulz Philipp S. Wild Thomas Koeck Thomas Münzel Alexander K. Schuster Konstantin Strauch Karl Lackner Sigurd D. Süssmuth Heiko G. Niessen Andreas Borta Kelly A. Allers Daniela Zahn Manfred E. Beutel |
| author_facet | Matthias Michal Andreas Schulz Philipp S. Wild Thomas Koeck Thomas Münzel Alexander K. Schuster Konstantin Strauch Karl Lackner Sigurd D. Süssmuth Heiko G. Niessen Andreas Borta Kelly A. Allers Daniela Zahn Manfred E. Beutel |
| author_sort | Matthias Michal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Previous studies reported significantly altered tryptophan catabolite concentrations in major depression. Thus, tryptophan catabolites were considered as potential biomarkers of depression and their modulators as potential targets for psychopharmacotherapy. However, the results were based mainly on studies with small sample sizes limiting their generalizability. Against this background, we investigated the relationship of peripheral tryptophan catabolites with depression in a population-based sample with n = 3,389 participants (with fasting status ≥ 8 h and C-reactive protein < 10 mg/L). N = 248 had clinically significant depression according to a PHQ-9 score of ≥ 10, n = 1,101 subjects had mild depressive symptoms with PHQ-9 scores between 5 and 9, and n = 2,040 had no depression. After multivariable adjustment, clinically significant depression was associated with lower kynurenine and kynurenic acid. Spearman correlation coefficients of the tryptophan catabolites with the severity of depression were very small (rho ≤ 0.080, p ≤ 0.015). None of the tryptophan catabolites could diagnostically separate depressed from not depressed persons. Concerning linear associations, kynurenine and kynurenic acid were associated only with the severity and the cognitive dimension of depression but not its somatic dimension. Tryptophan catabolites were not associated with persistence or recurrence of depression at the 5 year follow-up. The results replicated the association between kynurenine and kynurenic acid with depression. However, the associations were small raising doubts about their clinical utility. Findings underline the complexity of the relationships between depression and tryptophan catabolites. The search for subgroups of depression with a potentially higher impact of depression might be warranted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:45:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-40643a4100984f27990ac5b3287ed2f3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:45:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-40643a4100984f27990ac5b3287ed2f32023-01-15T12:17:54ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2023-01-012311910.1186/s12888-023-04520-6Tryptophan catabolites and depression in the general population: results from the Gutenberg Health StudyMatthias Michal0Andreas Schulz1Philipp S. Wild2Thomas Koeck3Thomas Münzel4Alexander K. Schuster5Konstantin Strauch6Karl Lackner7Sigurd D. Süssmuth8Heiko G. Niessen9Andreas Borta10Kelly A. Allers11Daniela Zahn12Manfred E. Beutel13Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University MainzPreventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Center for Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University MainzGerman Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg UniversityGerman Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg UniversityCenter for Cardiology – Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg UniversityDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University MainzInstitute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics (IMBEI), University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg UniversityInstitute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University MainzClinical Development, uniQure NVDepartment of Translational Medicine & Clinical Pharmacology, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KGClinical Development, uniQure NVCNS Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KGPreventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Center for Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University MainzDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University MainzAbstract Previous studies reported significantly altered tryptophan catabolite concentrations in major depression. Thus, tryptophan catabolites were considered as potential biomarkers of depression and their modulators as potential targets for psychopharmacotherapy. However, the results were based mainly on studies with small sample sizes limiting their generalizability. Against this background, we investigated the relationship of peripheral tryptophan catabolites with depression in a population-based sample with n = 3,389 participants (with fasting status ≥ 8 h and C-reactive protein < 10 mg/L). N = 248 had clinically significant depression according to a PHQ-9 score of ≥ 10, n = 1,101 subjects had mild depressive symptoms with PHQ-9 scores between 5 and 9, and n = 2,040 had no depression. After multivariable adjustment, clinically significant depression was associated with lower kynurenine and kynurenic acid. Spearman correlation coefficients of the tryptophan catabolites with the severity of depression were very small (rho ≤ 0.080, p ≤ 0.015). None of the tryptophan catabolites could diagnostically separate depressed from not depressed persons. Concerning linear associations, kynurenine and kynurenic acid were associated only with the severity and the cognitive dimension of depression but not its somatic dimension. Tryptophan catabolites were not associated with persistence or recurrence of depression at the 5 year follow-up. The results replicated the association between kynurenine and kynurenic acid with depression. However, the associations were small raising doubts about their clinical utility. Findings underline the complexity of the relationships between depression and tryptophan catabolites. The search for subgroups of depression with a potentially higher impact of depression might be warranted.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04520-6TryptophanDepressionKynurenine pathway |
| spellingShingle | Matthias Michal Andreas Schulz Philipp S. Wild Thomas Koeck Thomas Münzel Alexander K. Schuster Konstantin Strauch Karl Lackner Sigurd D. Süssmuth Heiko G. Niessen Andreas Borta Kelly A. Allers Daniela Zahn Manfred E. Beutel Tryptophan catabolites and depression in the general population: results from the Gutenberg Health Study BMC Psychiatry Tryptophan Depression Kynurenine pathway |
| title | Tryptophan catabolites and depression in the general population: results from the Gutenberg Health Study |
| title_full | Tryptophan catabolites and depression in the general population: results from the Gutenberg Health Study |
| title_fullStr | Tryptophan catabolites and depression in the general population: results from the Gutenberg Health Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tryptophan catabolites and depression in the general population: results from the Gutenberg Health Study |
| title_short | Tryptophan catabolites and depression in the general population: results from the Gutenberg Health Study |
| title_sort | tryptophan catabolites and depression in the general population results from the gutenberg health study |
| topic | Tryptophan Depression Kynurenine pathway |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04520-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT matthiasmichal tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT andreasschulz tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT philippswild tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT thomaskoeck tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT thomasmunzel tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT alexanderkschuster tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT konstantinstrauch tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT karllackner tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT sigurddsussmuth tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT heikogniessen tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT andreasborta tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT kellyaallers tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT danielazahn tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy AT manfredebeutel tryptophancatabolitesanddepressioninthegeneralpopulationresultsfromthegutenberghealthstudy |