Collapsin-response Mediator Protein 2 as a Marker of Adaptation and Disadaptation in Humans: Study on Depression Patients and Centenarians

Abstract Background. The article concerns the study of the levels of natural autoantibody to collapsin-response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) in the serum of the minor and major depression patients, old healthy persons and centenarians. Methods. The purified CRMP2 was used as antigen and obtained serum samples were used as the primary antibody in an indirect ELISA test. Results. The results revealed insignificant increase of the autoantibody levels in the serum of the minor depression patients and drastic, 50%-decline of their levels in the serum of the major depression patients (p < 0.01 on Student’s t-criterion) relative to the middle-aged healthy persons. While comparing the values of natural anti-CRMP2 autoantibody in the serum of the middle-aged healthy persons, old healthy persons (78-89 years old) and centenarians (beyond 90 years old), we revealed the following regularity. Relative to the middle-aged healthy persons, the levels of anti-CRMP2 autoantibody in the serum of old healthy patients declined prominently (p < 0.001 on Friedman’s χ2-criterion). However, the values of anti-CRMP2 autoantibody in the serum of the centenarians increased drastically (by 2.3 times) relative to the values of the old healthy persons used as a control group (p < 0.001 on Friedman’s χ2-criterion). Conclusion. The conclusion concerning reliability of evaluation of the levels of natural anti-CRMP2 autoantibody in the serum of the humans as an adaptation marker and consideration of the molecular mechanisms of major depression as the underlying mechanisms of pre-term aging is made.