Sealock JM, Lee YH, Moscati A, et al. - This genetic association study was conducted with the aim to determine if genes that increase predisposition to depression are linked with raised inflammatory biomarkers, specifically white blood cell count.

• Electronic health record data from 382,452 patients across 4 healthcare systems were used.

• Depression polygenic scores were noted to be linked with white blood cell count across 4 independent biobanks.

• In mediation analyses, a bidirectional correlation was observed between white blood cell count and depression diagnosis and neutrophils were implicated as the main driver of the association.

• Per these findings, genes linked with depression (rather than only the clinical presentation of depressive symptoms) may be implicated in the proinflammatory state seen in clinical depression.