Changes in cortical protein markers of iron transport with gender, major depressive disorder and suicide

<b>Objectives</b>: The objective of this study was to determine whether a breakdown in proteins regulating cortical iron homeostasis could be involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. <b>Methods</b>: Levels of select proteins responsible for cortical iron transport were quantitated by Western blotting of Brodmann’s (BA) areas 6 and 10 from patients with major depressive disorder (<i>n</i> = 13), bipolar disorder (<i>n</i> = 12) and age/sex matched controls (<i>n</i> = 13). <b>Results</b>: We found the inactive form of ceruloplasmin was lower in BA 6 from males compared to females. Levels of copper containing ceruloplasmin was lower in BA 6 from suicide completers whilst levels of amyloid precursor protein, TAU and transferrin were higher in BA 10 from those individuals. The level of prion protein was lower in BA 6 from subjects with major depressive disorder. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our data suggests that perturbation in cortical iron transport proteins is not prevalent in mood disorders. By contrast, our data suggests changes in iron transport proteins in BA 6 and BA 10 are present after suicide completion. If these changes were present before death, they could have had a role in the genesis of the contemplation and completion of suicide.