Project Summary

Xiaohong Wang, Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2004) of Emory University, plans on studying how dysfunction of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in major depression may involve proinflammatory cytokines (cytokines that tend to cause inflammation) and related activation of inflammatory signaling pathways. Patients with major depression have been shown to exhibit increased immune activity, including increased release of proinflammatory cytokines and acute phase reactants. In addition, proinflammatory cytokines have been shown to inhibit GR function both in vivo and in vitro. Dr. Wang plans to evaluate the relationship between inflammatory signaling pathways and GR function in major depression by 1) investigating the "cross-talk" between cytokine-mediated signaling pathways and GR function at the molecular level, and identifying target molecules responsible for causing GR dysfunction; 2) developing novel techniques to detect activation of intracellular cytokine signaling pathways in patients with major depression; and 3) investigating whether elevated activity of cytokine-induced signaling molecules are associated with altered responses to a certain drug assay in patients with major depression. Results should contribute to further understanding of the pathophysiology of major depression at the signal transduction level, and could lead new treatments.

Program Area: MOOD DISORDERS\Unipolar Depression

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