MicroRNAs and suicidality: a systematic review and bioinformatic evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Suicide is a global health crisis with complex biological underpinnings.
• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial gene regulators implicated in psychiatric disorders.
• The specific role of miRNAs in suicidality remains to be fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and analyze microRNA (miRNA) expression in individuals with suicidality-related phenotypes.
• To identify specific miRNAs and their potential biological pathways associated with suicide.
• To explore the utility of miRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for suicide prevention.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major scientific databases.
• Human case-control studies comparing suicidal individuals to non-suicidal controls were included.
• Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, and bioinformatic analyses were performed for target and pathway enrichment.

Main Results:

• Thirteen studies involving 285 suicidal participants and 291 controls met the inclusion criteria.
• Forty-three unique miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed.
• miR-30a, miR-30e, and miR-218 were consistently dysregulated in brain samples from individuals who died by suicide.

Conclusions:

• miR-30a, miR-30e, and miR-218 are recurrently altered miRNAs in suicide.
• These miRNAs may act as mechanistic mediators and candidate biomarkers for suicidality.
• Target and pathway analysis suggests potential for risk stratification and therapeutic development in suicide prevention.