Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40738168›Full record

ArticlePsychiatry investigation2025

Cytokine-Related Genes and Inflammatory Profiles as Potential Biomarkers in Major Depressive Disorder.

Haein Oh, Na Yeong Kong, Sung-Won Jung, Hee-Cheol Kim, Shin Kim, Junho Kang, Hojun Lee

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Psychiatry investigation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Inflammatory biomarkers and oral microbiome alterations in depression and anxiety disorders: a systematic review.The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Plasma proteomic profile of inflammatory depressive symptoms.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Haein OhDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Na Yeong KongDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Sung-Won JungDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Hee-Cheol KimDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Shin KimDepartment of Immunology, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Junho KangDepartment of Research, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Hojun LeeDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.

Funding

Keimyung University 20230706
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveBased on the neuroimmunological hypothesis of major depressive disorder (MDD), we analyzed the existing research to identify cytokine-related genes associated with MDD. Furthermore, we examined the cytokine alterations in patients with MDD as potential biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring.

methodsDifferentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to MDD were identified using the GEO2R tool on public datasets, followed by functional enrichment analyses with Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed using Cytoscape to identify hub genes. Finally, blood samples from 20 patients with MDD and 10 healthy controls were analyzed using the Olink® Target 96 Inflammation panel with proximity extension assay (PEA) technology to identify potential protein biomarkers.

resultsTwo GEO datasets related to MDD were analyzed to identify 66 common DEGs. Following the PPI analysis, 46 genes were identified. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were closely related to immune-related pathways. Subsequent blood sample analysis of patients with MDD and healthy controls confirmed that 18 cytokines related to 46 DEGs were significantly upregulated. Among the identified cytokines, oncostatin M (OSM) showed the highest receiver operating characteristic (ROC) performance (area under the curve [AUC]=0.96), followed by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (AUC=0.95), cluster of differentiation 6 (CD6) (AUC=0.90), and tumor necrosis factor superfamily 14 (TNFSF14) (AUC=0.90).

conclusionOur study confirms that neuroinflammation is an important pathophysiological aspect of MDD and that several related cytokines, such as OSM, HGF, CD6, and TNFSF14, may be potential biomarkers of MDD.

Indexed as

BiomarkerCytokineGene expression profilingInflammationMajor depressive disorder

Identifiers

PMID40738168
PMCPMC12370437

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.