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MicroRNAs in Psychological Stress Reactions and Their Use as Stress-Associated Biomarkers, Especially in Human Saliva

Conrad Wiegand1, Andreas Savelsbergh2, Peter Heusser1

  • 1Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Herdecke, Germany.

Biomedicine Hub
|January 29, 2020
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate stress responses and can be detected in body fluids. Salivary miRNAs show promise as noninvasive biomarkers for assessing psychological stress reactions.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of cellular processes, including physiological and psychological stress responses.
  • Psychological stress contributes significantly to the development and persistence of numerous diseases.
  • miRNAs are found in body fluids, suggesting a role in organism-wide communication and potential as stable biomarkers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the involvement of miRNAs in stress-reactive processes.
  • To evaluate the utility of salivary miRNAs as biomarkers for stress.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on miRNA expression in relation to stress.
  • Analysis of miRNA presence and stability in body fluids.
  • Examination of altered miRNA levels in brain and blood associated with stress.

Main Results:

  • miRNAs are implicated in the regulation of stress pathways.
  • Expression levels of stress-associated miRNAs are altered in the brain and blood.
  • miRNAs are stable and present in various body fluids, including saliva.

Conclusions:

  • Salivary miRNAs may serve as effective noninvasive biomarkers.
  • These biomarkers can help assess epigenetic regulation in response to acute or chronic psychological stress.
Keywords:
Epigenetic biomarkerEpigeneticsMental stressMicroRNAPsychological stressSalivary microRNASocial stress

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