Human olfactory neural progenitor cells reveal differences in IL-6, IL-8, thrombospondin-1, and MCP-1 in major depression disorder and borderline personality disorder.

Background: Discovering biological markers is essential for understanding and treating mental disorders. Despite the limitations of current non-invasive methods, neural progenitor cells from the olfactory epithelium (hNPCs-OE) have been emphasized as potential biomarker sources. This study measured soluble factors in these cells in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and healthy controls (HC).

Methods: We assessed thirty-five participants divided into MDD (n=14), BPD (n=14), and HC (n=7). MDD was assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. BPD was evaluated using the DSM-5 criteria and the Structured Clinical Interview for Personality Disorders. We isolated hNPCs-OE, collected intracellular proteins and conditioned medium, and quantified markers and soluble factors, including Interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and others. Analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test and linear regression.

Results: We found that hNPCs-OE of MDD and BPD decreased Sox2 and laminin receptor-67 kDa levels. MASH-1 decreased in BPD, while tubulin beta-III decreased in MDD compared to controls and BPD. Also, we found significant differences in IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, and thrombospondin-1 levels between controls and MDD, or BPD, but not between MDD and BPD.

Conclusions: Altered protein markers are evident in the nhNPCs-OE in MDD and BPD patients. These cells also secrete higher concentrations of inflammatory cytokines than HC cells. The results suggest the potential utility of hNPCs-OE as an model for researching biological protein markers in psychiatric disorders. However, more extensive validation studies are needed to confirm their effectiveness and specificity in neuropsychiatric disorders.