Evaluation of Biochemical and Epigenetic Biosignatures of Tears Exosomes in Depression and Sadness

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to collect data on possible biomarkers of depression in human tears in order to better our understanding of the disease and potential treatments. The primary objective of this study is to confirm the presence of exosomes in emotional and basal human tears from patients experiencing a depressive episode as well as healthy controls mostly from HCPC faculty/staff. Secondary objectives of the study include: A) exploration of the RNA content of exosomes found in emotional and basal tears of depressed patients vs those from the basal tears of healthy controls; B) exploration of the microRNA content of exosomes found in tears of depressed patients vs health controls; C) exploration of proteins related to CNS function in exosomes from tears in patients with depressive episode vs healthy controls; D) exploration of similar exosome content in plasma from depressed patients vs healthy controls.

Patients will be visited twice during the study (at their assigned unit): one baseline visit to collect a blood sample, basal tears, emotional tears, and complete the depression assessments and a second one for emotional tears and depression assessments. Healthy controls will be only visited once, to collect a blood sample and a tears sample at the Research Lab 3D-05. All procedures for both groups are conducted by the study’s research staff using study materials.

IRB NUMBER: HSC-MS-19-0857

PRIMARY STUDY CONTACTS:

Principal Investigator:	Study Coordinator (Primary contact):
Rodrigo Machado-Vieira MD, PhD Phone: 713-741-6047 Email: Rodrigo.MachadoVieira@uth.tmc.edu Office: HCPC 2E-57	Courtney Vecera Phone: 713-741-6043 Email: Courtney.Vecera@uth.tmc.edu Office: HCPC 3E-50