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Peng B, Wang R, Zuo W, Liu H, Deng C, Jing X, Hu H, Zhao W, Qin P, Dai L, Chen Z, Zhang Y, Liu XA. Distinct correlation network of clinical characteristics in suicide attempters having adolescent major depressive disorder with non-suicidal self-injury. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:134. [PMID: 38443348 PMCID: PMC10914800 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02843-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Suicidal behavior and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) are common in adolescent patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Thus, delineating the unique characteristics of suicide attempters having adolescent MDD with NSSI is important for suicide prediction in the clinical setting. Here, we performed psychological and biochemical assessments of 130 youths having MDD with NSSI. Participants were divided into two groups according to the presence/absence of suicide attempts (SAs). Our results demonstrated that the age of suicide attempters is lower than that of non-attempters in participants having adolescent MDD with NSSI; suicide attempters had higher Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) impulsivity scores and lower serum CRP and cortisol levels than those having MDD with NSSI alone, suggesting levels of cortisol and CRP were inversely correlated with SAs in patients with adolescent MDD with NSSI. Furthermore, multivariate regression analysis revealed that NSSI frequency in the last month and CRP levels were suicidal ideation predictors in adolescent MDD with NSSI, which may indicate that the increased frequency of NSSI behavior is a potential risk factor for suicide. Additionally, we explored the correlation between psychological and blood biochemical indicators to distinguish suicide attempters among participants having adolescent MDD with NSSI and identified a unique correlation network that could serve as a marker for suicide attempters. Our research data further suggested a complex correlation between the psychological and behavioral indicators of impulsivity and anger. Therefore, our study findings may provide clues to identify good clinical warning signs for SA in patients with adolescent MDD with NSSI.
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Grants
- 32371213 National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)
- This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (32371213 to X.A.L, 32000710 to Z.X.C, U20A2016 to Z.X.C), the STI2030-Major Projects (2022ZD0207100, Z.X.C), Shenzhen Medical Research Funds (D2301002 to P.W.Q and X.A.L), the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2023A1515011743 to X.A.L, 2019A1515110190 to Z.X.C), the Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (KCXFZ20211020163549011 to X.A.L), Shenzhen Key Basic Research Project (JCYJ20200109115641762 to Z.X.C), Shenzhen governmental grant (ZDSYS20190902093601675 to Z.X.C), and CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation (2019DP173024 to X.A.L and Z.X.C),Supported by Shenzhen Key Medical Discipline Construction Fund(No.SZXK041),Supported by Shenzhen Fund for Guangdong Provincial High-level Clinical Key Specialties(No.SZGSP013).
- Shenzhen Key Medical Discipline Construction Fund (No.SZXK041); the Shenzhen Fund for Guangdong Provincial High-level Clinical Key Specialties (No. SZGSP013 to B.P)
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Peng
- Department of Depressive Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Ruoxi Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Wenlong Zuo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Haitao Liu
- Shenzhen Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Chunshan Deng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Jing
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Hongtao Hu
- Department of Depressive Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Weitan Zhao
- Department of Depressive Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Peiwu Qin
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Lei Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Zuxin Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
| | - Yingli Zhang
- Department of Depressive Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
- Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xin-An Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
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González-Castro TB, Juárez-Rojop IE, Tovilla-Zárate CA, Ovando-Ricárdez JA, Hernández-Díaz Y, López-Narváez ML, Genis-Mendoza AD, Rodríguez-Pérez C. Gene-environment interaction between HPA-axis genes and trauma exposure in the suicide behavior: A systematic review. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 164:162-170. [PMID: 37352812 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Suicide behavior (SB) emerge from complex interactions among traumatic events and multiple genetic factors. We conducted the first systematic review to assess the evidence of a link among trauma exposure, HPA-axis genes, and SB. A systematic search of PubMed, EBSCO, Science Direct, PsychInfo, and Scopus databases on gene-environment interaction, and susceptibility to SB was carried out until February 2022. Our study was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022316141). A total of 13 epidemiological studies (11,756 subjects) were included: eight studies focused on traumatic experiences in the childhood and five studies on lifetime trauma exposure. All studies reported a positive association between the trauma exposure with SB. Gene-environment interaction was reported for CRHR1 (n = 6), CRHR2 (n = 2), FKBP5 (n = 2), and CRHBP (n = 1), however, for CRH, NR3C1, MC2R, and POMC genes no found gene-environment effects on SB. Trauma exposure could be one mechanism that links HPA-axis genes activity with the development of SB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thelma Beatriz González-Castro
- División Académica Multidisciplinaria de Jalpa de Méndez, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Jalpa de Méndez, Tabasco, United Mexican States.
| | - Isela Esther Juárez-Rojop
- División Académica de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, United Mexican States.
| | - Carlos Alfonso Tovilla-Zárate
- División Académica Multidisciplinaria de Comalcalco, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Comalcalco, Tabasco, United Mexican States.
| | - José Antonio Ovando-Ricárdez
- División Académica Multidisciplinaria de Jalpa de Méndez, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Jalpa de Méndez, Tabasco, United Mexican States.
| | - Yazmin Hernández-Díaz
- División Académica Multidisciplinaria de Jalpa de Méndez, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Jalpa de Méndez, Tabasco, United Mexican States.
| | | | - Alma Delia Genis-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Genómica de Enfermedades Psiquiátricas y Neurodegenerativas, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica, Ciudad de México, United Mexican States.
| | - Candelario Rodríguez-Pérez
- División Académica Multidisciplinaria de Jalpa de Méndez, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Jalpa de Méndez, Tabasco, United Mexican States.
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Dionisio-García DM, Genis-Mendoza AD, González-Castro TB, Tovilla-Zárate CA, Juarez-Rojop IE, López-Narváez ML, Hernández-Díaz Y, Nicolini H, Olvera-Hernández V. DNA Methylation of Genes Involved in the HPA Axis in Presence of Suicide Behavior: A Systematic Review. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13040584. [PMID: 37190549 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13040584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation in genes of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis has been associated with suicide behavior. Through a systematic review, we aimed to evaluate DNA methylation levels of the genes involved in the HPA pathway and their association with suicide behavior. A search of articles was performed using PubMed and Science Direct, EBSCO. The terms included were “DNA methylation”, “suicide”, “epigenetics”, “HPA axis” and “suicide behavior”. This systematic review was performed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Six studies comprising 743 cases and 761 controls were included in this systematic review. The studies included individuals with suicide ideation, suicide attempts or completed suicide and childhood trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or depression. One study reported hypermethylation in GR in childhood trauma, while two studies found hypermethylation of NR3C1 in childhood trauma and major depressive disorder (MDD). Only one study reported hypermethylation in BNDF in people with MDD. FKBP5 was found to be hypermethylated in people with MDD. Another study reported hypermethylation in CRHBP. SKA2 was reported to be hypermethylated in one study and another study found hypomethylated both in populations with PTSD. CRHR1 was found to be hypermethylated in people with MDD, and the last study found hypomethylation in CRH. Our result showed that patients with suicidal behavior showed a DNA methylation state of genes of the HPA axis in association with psychiatric comorbidity and with adverse events. Genes of the HPA axis could play a role in suicidal behavior associated with adverse events and pathologies. As a result, DNA methylation levels, proteins, and genes involved in the HPA axis could be considered for the search for biomarkers for the prevention of suicidal behavior in future studies.
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Serafini G, Costanza A, Aguglia A, Amerio A, Trabucco A, Escelsior A, Sher L, Amore M. The Role of Inflammation in the Pathophysiology of Depression and Suicidal Behavior: Implications for Treatment. Med Clin North Am 2023; 107:1-29. [PMID: 36402492 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcna.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Depression and suicidal behavior are 2 complex psychiatric conditions of significant public health concerns due to their debilitating nature. The need to enhance contemporary treatments and preventative approaches for these illnesses not only calls for distillation of current views on their pathogenesis but also provides an impetus for further elucidation of their novel etiological determinants. In this regard, inflammation has recently been recognized as a potentially important contributor to the development of depression and suicidal behavior. This review highlights key evidence that supports the presence of dysregulated neurometabolic and immunologic signaling and abnormal interaction with microbial species as putative etiological hallmarks of inflammation in depression as well as their contribution to the development of suicidal behavior. Furthermore, therapeutic insights addressing candidate mechanisms of pathological inflammation in these disorders are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Serafini
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health DINOGMI, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, Genoa 16132, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Costanza
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva (UNIGE), Geneva, Switzerland, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Lugano, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Italian Switzerland (USI), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Aguglia
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health DINOGMI, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, Genoa 16132, Italy
| | - Andrea Amerio
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health DINOGMI, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, Genoa 16132, Italy
| | - Alice Trabucco
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health DINOGMI, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea Escelsior
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health DINOGMI, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, Genoa 16132, Italy
| | - Leo Sher
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mario Amore
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health DINOGMI, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, Genoa 16132, Italy
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Prevalence of Common Alleles of Some Stress Resilience Genes among Adolescents Born in Different Periods Relative to the Socioeconomic Crisis of the 1990s in Russia. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2022; 45:51-65. [PMID: 36661490 PMCID: PMC9857244 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Social stress is common among people and is considered one of the causes of the declining birth rate. Predisposition to stress and stress-induced disorders is largely determined genetically. We hypothesized that due to differences in stress resistance, carriers of different genetic variants of genes associated with stress resilience and stress-induced diseases may have dissimilar numbers of offspring under conditions of long-term social stress. To test this hypothesis, a comparative analysis of frequencies of seven common polymorphic regions [exon 3 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) of the DRD4 gene, rs4680 of COMT, STin2 VNTR and the 5-HTTLPR (rs774676466) insertion/deletion polymorphism of SLC6A4, rs4570625 of TPH2, rs6265 of BDNF, and rs258747 of NR3C1] was performed on standardized groups of randomly selected adolescents born before, during, and after severe socioeconomic deprivation (the crisis of the 1990s in Russia). There were significant differences in frequencies of "long" alleles of the DRD4 gene (p = 0.020, χ2 = 5.492) and rs4680 (p = 0.022, χ2 = 5.289) in the "crisis" group as compared to the combined "noncrisis" population. It is possible that the dopaminergic system had an impact on the successful adaptation of a person to social stress.
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Aguglia A, Natale A, Fusar-Poli L, Gnecco GB, Lechiara A, Marino M, Meinero M, Pastorino F, Costanza A, Spedicato GA, Amerio A, Serafini G, Aguglia E, Amore M. C-Reactive Protein as a Potential Peripheral Biomarker for High-Lethality Suicide Attempts. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12101557. [PMID: 36294992 PMCID: PMC9605506 DOI: 10.3390/life12101557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to identify a cut-off of c-reactive protein (c-RP) potentially predictive of high-lethality suicide attempts (SA) in an inpatient psychiatric sample. After attempting suicide, subjects were admitted to the emergency ward of the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino and later to the section of Psychiatry from 1 August 2013 to 31 July 2018. C-reactive protein was measured. The Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC_AUC) was used to assess the discriminative capacity of c-RP for high- vs. low-lethality SA, and a logistic regression was performed to detect the odds ratio, adjusted for age and sex. High-lethality suicide attempters were 133 (30.8%), while low-lethality suicide attempters were 299 (69.2%). The optimal cut-off threshold (and corresponding sensitivity and specificity values) for c-RP was 4.65 mg/L (68/71%). This cut-off corresponds to an AUC of 73.5%. An odds ratio of 4.70 was generated for current high-lethality SA after a logistic regression, adjusted for age and sex. Research on social and biological factors underlying the lethality of SA is crucial for a better understanding of this complex phenomenon. Identifying potential predictors of SA, especially those at high lethality, is essential to implement personalized preventive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Aguglia
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Antimo Natale
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Laura Fusar-Poli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Battista Gnecco
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessio Lechiara
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Margherita Marino
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Matteo Meinero
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Pastorino
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Costanza
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva (UNIGE), 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Italian Switzerland (USI), 6912 Lugano, Switzerland
| | | | - Andrea Amerio
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Gianluca Serafini
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Eugenio Aguglia
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Mario Amore
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy
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Suicide and Changes in Expression of Neuronal miRNA Predicted by an Algorithm Search through miRNA Databases. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13040562. [PMID: 35456368 PMCID: PMC9025835 DOI: 10.3390/genes13040562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Suicide is multifactorial and polygenic phenotype, affected by environmental and genetic factors. Among epigenetic mechanisms, miRNAs have been studied, but so far no very concise results exist. To overcome limitations of candidate miRNA and whole genome sequencing approaches, we created an in silico analysis algorithm that would help select the best suitable miRNAs that target the most interesting genes associated with suicidality. We used databases/web algorithms DIANA microT, miRDB, miRmap, miRWalk, and TargetScan and candidate genes SLC6A4, HTR1A, BDNF, NR3C1, ZNF714, and NRIP3. Based on a prediction algorithm, we have chosen miRNAs that are targeting regulation of the genes listed, and are at the same time being expressed in the brain. The highest ranking scores were obtained for hsa-miR-4516, hsa-miR-3135b, hsa-miR-124-3p, hsa-miR-129-5p, hsa-miR-27b-3p, hsa-miR-381-3p, hsa-miR-4286. Expression of these miRNAs was tested in the brain tissue of 40 suicide completers and controls, and hsa-miR-4516 and hsa-miR-381-3p showed a trend for statistical significance. We also checked the expression of the target genes of these miRNAs, and for NR3C1 expression was lower in suicide completers compared to controls, which is in accordance with the available literature results. To determine the miRNAs that are most suitable for further suicidality research, more studies, combining in silico analysis and wet lab experiments, should be performed.
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