Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026
Measurement of Chitinase Activity in Biological Samples
Published on: August 22, 2019
Chitinase-3-like protein 1 levels in bipolar disorder
Basak Sahin1, Ikbal Inanli, Ali M Calıskan
1Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey. E-mail. basakbulutsahin@gmail.com.
Insights
YKL-40, a protein marker, shows elevated levels in bipolar disorder (BD) patients. This study suggests YKL-40 can serve as a diagnostic and monitoring tool for BD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Bipolar disorder (BD) is a complex mental health condition.
- Understanding reliable biomarkers for BD diagnosis and management is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression levels and biological role of YKL-40 in individuals with bipolar disorder.
- To assess the potential of YKL-40 as a diagnostic marker for BD.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 104 BD patients and 96 healthy controls.
- Serum YKL-40 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
- C-reactive protein (CRP), demographic data, and medication use were also analyzed.
Main Results:
- Mean serum YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in the BD group (2723.5 pg/ml) compared to controls (2132.5 pg/ml).
- YKL-40 demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.79 in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for BD diagnosis, with 82.7% sensitivity and 68.1% specificity.
- No significant association was found between YKL-40 levels and CRP, medication use, or comorbidities.
Conclusions:
- YKL-40 is significantly upregulated in bipolar disorder.
- YKL-40 exhibits potential as a biomarker for the diagnosis and monitoring of bipolar disorder due to its acceptable sensitivity and specificity.
Objectives:
To evaluate the relationship between the expression level and biologic role of YKL-40 in bipolar disorder (BD).
Methods:
This case-control study was conducted in the Faculty of Medicine, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey in 2015. One hundred and four patients diagnosed as having bipolar disorder (DSM5 criteria), and 96 participants were included as healthy controls in this study. A human YKL-40 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit was used to measure the serum YKL-40 levels. As independent variables, we collected data on C-reactive protein (CRP), demographic variables, and medications. Results: The mean YLK-40 levels for the BD was 2723.5±543.8 pg/ml and control groups was 2132.5±576.3 pg/ml (t=7.42, p less than 0.001). The mean CRP levels for the BD was 0.4±0.6 mg/dl and control groups was 0.4±0.7 mg/dl (t=0.02, p=0.985). The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of YKL-40 in the diagnosis of BD as 0.79 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.72-0.85) with a sensitivity of 82.7% and specificity of 68.1% at a cutoff level of 2307.1 pg/ml. The use of antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood modifiers, and the presence of any comorbidity was not related to the YKL-40 levels (p greater than 0.05). Conclusion: With acceptable sensitivity and specificity levels, the YKL-40 can be utilized as a marker in the diagnosis and follow-up of BD.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Bipolar Disorder
02:18Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
02:18Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
01:22Bipolar Junction Transistor
01:29Leveling Effect
01:09Levels of Organization
Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:
The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules...