Decoding Shared Genetics: Unveiling the Link Between Major Depressive Disorder and Glioblastoma Multiforme

University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1 Canada

^* Corresponding author: tian_haodong@163.com

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common psychiatric disorder, and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary central nervous system tumor. Patients with GBM have been shown to have a high incidence of MDD, but the pathogenesis of these two diseases remains unclear. This study utilized a high-throughput omics approach to explore the genetic link between MDD and GBM. First, five shared genes between MDD and GBM were identified using differential expression analysis, including EN1 and UBE2C. The result showed that the shared genes EN1 and UBE2C were both differentially expressed in the two diseases, respectively, and related to the development of glioma, dopamine regulation and Alzheimer's disease. Subsequently, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed different functional enrichments in neural activity for GBM and MDD, respectively. The co-expression network results highlighted the common molecular mechanisms between MDD and GBM gene modules, emphasizing neuralrelated activities and gene expression regulation. Our study reveals a compelling genetic link between MDD and GBM, revealing potential co-pathogenesis. And EN1 and UBE2C emerged as key genes, indicating common signaling pathways and potential therapeutic targets. Further exploration of these genes and pathways could provide avenues for targeted therapeutic intervention in these devastating diseases.