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The important roles of microRNAs in depression: new research progress and future prospects

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Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-encoding, single-stranded RNA molecules of about 22 nucleotides in length encoded by endogenous genes involved in posttranscriptional gene expression regulation. Studies have shown that miRNAs participate in a series of important pathophysiological processes, including the pathogenesis of depression. This article systematically summarized the research results published in the field of miRNAs and depression, which mainly involved three topics: circulating miRNAs as markers for diagnosis and prognosis of depression, the regulatory roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of depression, and the roles of miRNAs in the mechanisms of depression treatment. By summarizing and analyzing the research literature in recent years, we found that some circulating miRNAs can be potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of depression. miRNAs that disorderly expressed during the disease play important roles in the depression pathogenesis, and miRNAs also play roles in the mechanisms of psychotherapy and drug therapy for depression. Elucidating the important roles of miRNAs in depression will bring people’s understanding of the pathogenesis of depression to a new level. In addition, these miRNAs may be developed as new biomarkers for diagnosing depression, or as drug targets, or these molecules may be used as new drugs, which may provide new means for the treatment of depression.

Key messages

• The research results of miRNAs and depression are reviewed.

• Circulating miRNAs can be potential biomarkers for depression.

• MiRNAs play important roles in the depression pathogenesis.

• MiRNAs play important roles in drug therapy for depression.

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Abbreviations

miRNA:

MicroRNA

CUMS:

Chronic unpredictable mild stress

MDD:

Major depression disorder

PBMCs:

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells

PSD:

Poststroke depression

CNS:

Central nervous system

GR:

Glucocorticoid receptor

BDNF:

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor

CMS:

Chronic mild stress

VLO:

Ventrolateral orbital cortex

DUSP1:

Dual-specificity phosphatase 1

HPA:

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal

Ucn1:

Urocortin 1

CREB:

cAMP response element–binding protein

NMDA:

N-Methyl-d-aspartate

NMDAR-LTD:

NMDA receptor–dependent long-term depression

HDAC4:

Histone deacetylase 4

Sgk1:

Serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible protein kinase-1

PFC:

Prefrontal cortex

RISC:

RNA-induced silencing complex

Ago2:

Argounaute-2

GRM4:

Glutamate receptor metabolic type 4

DDIT4:

DNA damage-inducible transcript 4

SP1:

Specificity protein 1

SERT:

Serotonin transporter

CSF:

Cerebrospinal fluid

SSRI:

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

CSDS:

Chronic social defeat stress

STXBP3A:

Syntaxin-binding protein 3

VAMP1:

Vesicle-associated protein 1

SSd:

Saikosaponin d

BMSCs:

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

FKBP51:

FK506-binding protein 51

CAD:

Coronary artery disease

NOS1:

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase 1

D3R:

Dopamine D3 receptor

DZ:

Dingzhi Xiaowan

CANTAB:

Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery

PRM:

Pattern recognition memory

DG:

Dentate gyrus

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Funding

This project was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (No. 81302783), the Anhui Province Key Research and Development Plan (No. 1804a0802218), the Excellent talent project of Anhui Science and Technology University (No.XJYXRC201801), and the special support plan of high-level talent introduction of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine (No. 2020rcZD001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, 1 Qianjiang Road, Xinzhan District, Hefei, 230012, Anhui Province, China

    Chenggui Miao

  2. Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, China

    Chenggui Miao

  3. Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Compound, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, China

    Chenggui Miao

  4. Institute of Life and Health Sciences, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Fengyang, 233100, China

    Chenggui Miao

  5. Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China

    Jun Chang

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  1. Chenggui Miao
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This work was completed by Pro. Dr. Chenggui Miao and Dr. Jun Chang. The first author and corresponding author Chenggui Miao is responsible for the idea of the article, literature search, data analysis, drafting, and revising the article. Dr. Jun Chang is mainly responsible for studying and summarizing which circulating miRNAs can be used as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of depression and assisting the first author to complete the revision of the article.

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Correspondence to Chenggui Miao.

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Miao, C., Chang, J. The important roles of microRNAs in depression: new research progress and future prospects. J Mol Med 99, 619–636 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-021-02052-8

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