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May high mobility group box protein-1 be a biomarker for major depressive disorder?
Ali Emre Köse1, Tayfun Turan1, Eser Kilic2
1Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey.
Insights
Serum levels of High Mobility Group Box Protein-1 (HMGB1) were lower in patients experiencing major depressive disorder (MDD) episodes. These findings suggest HMGB1 may serve as a potential biomarker for MDD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Biochemistry
Background:
- High Mobility Group Box Protein-1 (HMGB1) possesses proinflammatory properties and is implicated in psychiatric disorders.
- Existing research on HMGB1's role in major depressive disorder (MDD) is limited, with only one prior clinical study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of HMGB1 in the etiopathogenesis of MDD.
- To determine if HMGB1 can function as a biomarker for MDD by analyzing serum levels during different disease phases.
Main Methods:
- Serum HMGB1 levels were measured in three groups: 30 MDD patients in episode, 30 MDD patients in remission, and 30 healthy controls.
- Each group consisted of 20 females and 10 males.
Main Results:
- Serum HMGB1 levels were significantly lower in MDD patients during an episode compared to those in remission and healthy controls.
- No significant difference in serum HMGB1 levels was observed between MDD patients in remission and healthy controls.
Conclusions:
- Lower serum HMGB1 levels in the acute phase of MDD may indicate neuroprotective effects.
- HMGB1 shows potential as a diagnostic biomarker for major depressive disorder.
Abstract:
High Mobility Group Box Protein-1 (HMGB1), which has proinflammatory properties, is known to be involved in psychiatric disorders as far as we know, there are only one clinical studies investigating the role of HMGB1 in major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of HMGB1 in the etiopathogenesis of MDD and whether HMGB1 can be used as a biomarker in MDD by measuring the serum HMGB1 levels of depressed patients in the episode and remission periods. This study included 30 patients diagnosed with MDD in episode, 30 patients in remission and 30 healthy controls. Each group comprised 20 female and 10 male participants. In this study, serum HMGB1 levels were found to be lower in the patient group in the episode compared to the patient group in the remission period and the healthy control group. There was no significant difference between the patient group in remission and the healthy control group in terms of serum HMGB1 levels. The fact that serum HMGB1 levels were lower in the patient group in the episode compared to the patient group in the remission period and the control group may be related to the neuroprotective effects of HMGB1. HMGB1 may be used as a biomarker for MDD.
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