Background: Heat shock protein (HSP) expression can be induced by any stress such as with adrenocorticotropic hormones and catecholamines. It has been reported that patients with major depression have a 162-base deletion in the 5'-flanking region of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70)-1 gene mRNA.
Methods: To detect the HSP70-1 gene mRNA, total RNA was isolated and amplified by RT-PCR, and the sequence was confirmed in all five patients by DNA direct sequencing analysis.
Results: RT-PCR produced was no deletions of 162 bp in the human heat shock protein 70-1 gene in any of the patients with major depression or the nine controls.
Conclusion: This finding is inconsistent with previous reports. We suggest that the 162-base deletion in the 5'-flanking region of the HSP70-1 gene mRNA is not associated with major depression. Further studies are required to determine the amounts of HSP70 and its mRNA in stress disorders such as major depression.