A large number of studies have shown that depression can be caused by genetic and environmental factors, and the heritability of depression is about 37%, indicating that genetic factors play a role in the occurrence of depression. In the past five years, more than 100 depression risk loci have been successfully identified using genome-wide association analysis (GWAS). However, it is not clear how genetic variations in these risk loci affect susceptibility to depression.

In combination with chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and location matrix data, the team identified 34 genetic variants that interrupt the binding of transcription factors to depression risk. Using a series of functional experiments, they systematically investigated the underlying mechanisms by which these functional genetic variants regulate target genes. Further loci analysis of expressed quantitative traits revealed potential target genes regulated by these functional genetic variations. The study suggests that these genetic variations may affect the binding of transcription factors to regulate the expression of depression susceptibility genes, leading to depression.

Research to identify genetic mutations identified in the risk of depression functional consequences of genetic variation, prompt genetic variation may be affected by these functional risk with transcription factors, in turn, control the risk of depression gene expression, and identify the target genes is regulated by the genetic variation in these functions. Further research on these functional genetic variants and their target genes will help to elucidate the genetic mechanism and pathogenicity of depression, thus providing a new potential target for the treatment of depression.

Source: http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2020/04-02/9145885.shtml

Time: 2020.04.02