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Large Scale Non-targeted Metabolomic Profiling of Serum by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS)
Published on: March 14, 2013
Untargeted LC-MS/MS profiling identifies ST18 as a novel serum marker for T2DM-associated depression
Jiya Singh1, Sabyasachi Bandyopadhyay2, Atanu Sen1
1Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, India.
Annals of Clinical Biochemistry
|July 23, 2026
Summary
This study identified serum protein biomarkers for detecting depression in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). ST18 protein shows promise as a diagnostic marker for T2DM with comorbid depression.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Proteomics
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Depression is a common comorbidity in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), worsening patient outcomes.
- Early detection of depression in T2DM is challenging due to a lack of reliable biomarkers.
- Understanding the molecular links between T2DM and depression is crucial for improved management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify serum protein signatures associated with depression in individuals with T2DM.
- To discover novel biomarkers for early detection of comorbid depression in T2DM patients.
- To investigate the potential role of identified proteins in the interplay between metabolic dysfunction and depressive symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Untargeted serum proteomics using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) on a cohort of 18 individuals (healthy controls, T2DM, T2DM with depression).
- Bioinformatic analysis for differential protein abundance, protein-protein interactions, and pathway enrichment.
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) validation of candidate biomarkers in an independent cohort of 90 individuals.
- Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to evaluate diagnostic performance.
Main Results:
- LC-MS/MS analysis identified 242 serum proteins, with 12 significantly dysregulated across groups.
- Nine proteins exhibited unique alterations in the T2DM with depression group.
- ELISA confirmed elevated levels of LRG1, APOC2, and ST18 in T2DM with depression.
- ST18 demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy, indicated by the largest area under the ROC curve.
Conclusions:
- Untargeted proteomic profiling reveals distinct serum protein alterations in T2DM patients with comorbid depression.
- ST18 is identified as a potential robust and specific biomarker for depression in T2DM.
- Further longitudinal studies are needed to validate ST18's predictive utility and clarify its role in T2DM-associated depression.
