MyBrain-Seq: A Pipeline for MiRNA-Seq Data Analysis in Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Bioinformatics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• High-throughput sequencing of small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), is vital for gene expression studies.
• Analyzing miRNA sequencing (miRNA-Seq) data involves multiple complex steps, demanding reproducible pipelines.
• Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of miRNA-Seq analysis results is critical for biological insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce myBrain-Seq, a comprehensive and reproducible pipeline for miRNA-Seq data analysis.
• To provide a flexible and user-friendly solution for researchers of varying expertise levels.
• To standardize miRNA-Seq analysis using commonly accepted tools and miRNA-specific approaches.

Main Methods:

• Development of a modular pipeline integrating quality control, preprocessing, differential expression, and pathway enrichment analysis.
• Incorporation of miRNA-specific tools and solutions at each stage of the analysis workflow.
• Application of the pipeline to a case study comparing medication responders and non-responders in schizophrenia.

Main Results:

• Demonstration of myBrain-Seq's capacity for consistent and reproducible identification of differentially expressed miRNAs.
• Successful identification of enriched pathways relevant to treatment response in schizophrenia.
• Generation of a 16-miRNA profile associated with treatment-resistant schizophrenia.

Conclusions:

• myBrain-Seq offers a robust and reproducible method for analyzing miRNA-Seq data.
• The pipeline facilitates standardized analysis, enhancing the reliability of findings in gene expression research.
• The identified miRNA profile provides potential biomarkers for treatment resistance in schizophrenia.