Feasibility of Using Serum, Plasma, and Platelet 5-hydroxytryptamine as Peripheral Biomarker for the Depression Diagnosis and Response Evaluation to Antidepressants: Animal Experimental Study
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Updated: Jun 10, 2025
Biomarkers in an Animal Model for Revealing Neural, Hematologic, and Behavioral Correlates of PTSD
Published on: October 10, 2012
Zuanjun Su1,2, Zhicong Chen1,2, Jinming Cao1,2
1Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Fengxian Hospital and School of Pharmaceutical Science, Southern Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Objective:
Whether peripheral blood 5-hydroxytrptamine (5-HT) levels serve as biomarker for depression diagnosis/response evaluation has not been well determined. This work was explored to address this inconclusive issue.
Methods:
Animals were randomized into normal control group (NC, n = 10) and chronic unpredictable mild stress model group (CUMS-model, n = 20), respectively. Animals in CUMS-model group were subjected to chronic stress, then they were randomly subdivided into CUMS subgroup and CUMS + fluoxetine subgroup (CUMS + FLX). After FLX treatment, blood and tissues were collected. 5-HT and relevant protein expression were measured.
Results:
In mice model, there was a significant increase in serum and a significant reduction in plasma 5-HT levels in CUMS-model group versus NC group, while platelet 5-HT levels change little. After FLX treatment, serum and platelet 5-HT levels were significantly decreased in CUMS + FLX subgroup, while plasma 5-HT levels had not much change versus CUMS subgroup. Chronic stress enhanced colon and platelet serotonin transporter (SERT) expression and FLX treatment mitigated SERT expression. In rats' model, there was a significant increase in serum 5-HT levels while plasma and platelet 5-HT levels showed little change in CUMS group versus NC group. After FLX treatment, serum, plasma and platelet 5-HT levels were significantly decreased in CUMS + FLX subgroup versus CUMS subgroup. The profile of relevant proteins expression changed by FLX were like those in mice.
Conclusion:
Serum 5-HT levels might serve as a potential biomarker for depression diagnosis, meanwhile serum and platelet 5-HT levels might respond to antidepressant treatment.
