Is estrogen-altered urocortin 2 a female mood regulator?

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K16871
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Nippon Medical School
• Principal Investigator: watanabe kenichiro 日本医科大学, 医学部, 助教 (30544407)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: ウロコルチン２ / うつ / エストロゲン / プロゲステロン / ＣＥＳ－Ｄ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We obtained blood samples from 160 individuals who provided consent to participate in our study. Their plasma concentrations of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), and urocortin (Ucn)-2 were measured, and a Pearson’s correlation coefficient test was performed for each item; however, no correlation was seen. We then excluded 19 post-menopausal women, and, for the remaining 141 subjects, we measured the Pearson’s correlation coefficients of their blood E2, P, and Ucn2 levels, but found no correlations. We also investigated 99 subjects who self-rated their scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. We divided them into those scoring 15 points or below and those scoring 16 points or above, and performed a t-test for Ucn2 in these two groups. The results showed no significant differences, with p = 0.0805.

Free Research Field

生殖医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ウロコルチン（Ｕｃｎ）２は中枢においてストレス耐性に関連しているとの報告があるため、CED-Dうつ病自己評価を点数化し、Ｕｃｎ２濃度との検討を行った。CES-Dの自己採点に協力が得られた99症例について検討した。CES-Dのカットオフ値は16点であり16点以上でうつ病を疑うため、CES-Dが15点以下と16点以上の症例に分けて検討を行った。この２集団についてt-testを行うとp=0.0805と有意差を認めなかった。しかし、うつ病を疑う症例でより血中Ｕｃｎ２濃度が高い傾向が認められた。今後症例を増やしていくことでＵｃｎ２とうつの関連が見いだせる可能性があると考える。