suPAR as a mediator between childhood trauma and adolescent depression

Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), a marker of chronic inflammation and immune activation, was found abnormal expression in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Childhood trauma is an important risk factor for MDD in adolescent. However, the relationships between suPAR and childhood trauma in adolescent depression are not clear.

To investigate the mediating role of serum suPAR levels in the relationship between childhood trauma and the severity of depression in adolescent patients.

This study employed a case-control design with 160 participants (129 depressed patients and 31 healthy controls). General information and venous blood were collected from all participants. The Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) were used to assess depression severity and childhood trauma, respectively. Serum suPAR levels were measured using ELISA. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied to evaluate the diagnostic value of suPAR, followed by bootstrap mediation analysis.

Serum suPAR levels were significantly higher in the MDD group versus controls. Childhood trauma substantially increased adolescent depression risk, with trauma severity positively correlating with suPAR levels (β = 1.74, p < 0.01). After gender/education adjustment, suPAR demonstrated significant partial mediation between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms (explaining 15.38 % of total effect). Furthermore, the serum level of suPAR showed significant diagnostic value for adolescent depression (AUC = 0.81, 95 %CI:0.73-0.89).

suPAR played an important role in mediating the impact of childhood trauma on depressive severity of adolescent. Moreover, suPAR shows significant diagnostic potential in the early identification of depression in adolescents.