Depression, Perceived Stress, and Distress During Pregnancy and EV-associated MiRNA Profiles in MADRES

Overview

Journal J Affect Disord

Date 2022 Dec 23

PMID 36563790

Authors

Helen Bermudez Foley

Caitlin G Howe

Sandrah P Eckel

Thomas Chavez

Lili Gevorkian

Eileen Granada Reyes

Bethany Kapanke

Danilo Martinez

Shanyan Xue

Shakira F Suglia

Theresa M Bastain

Carmen Marsit

Carrie V Breton

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: MicroRNA (miRNA) circulating in plasma has been proposed as biomarkers for a variety of diseases and stress measures, including depression, stress, and trauma. However, few studies have examined the relationship between stress and miRNA during pregnancy.

Methods: In this study, we examined associations between measures of stress and depression during pregnancy with miRNA in early and late pregnancy from the MADRES cohort of primarily low-income Hispanic women based in Los Angeles, California. Extracellular-vesicle- (EV-) associated miRNA were isolated from maternal plasma and quantified using the Nanostring nCounter platform. Correlations for stress-associated miRNA were also calculated for 89 matching cord blood samples.

Results: Fifty miRNA were nominally associated with depression, perceived stress, and prenatal distress (raw p < 0.05) with 17 miRNA shared between two or more stress measures. Two miRNA (miR-150-5p and miR-148b-3p) remained marginally significant after FDR adjustment (p < 0.10). Fifteen PANTHER pathways were enriched for predicted gene targets of the 50 miRNA associated with stress. Clusters of maternal and neonate miRNA expression suggest a link between maternal and child profiles.

Limitations: The study evaluated 142 miRNA and was not an exhaustive analysis of all discovered miRNA. Evaluations for stress, depression and trauma were based on self-reported instruments, rather than diagnostic tools.

Conclusions: Depression and stress during pregnancy are associated with some circulating EV miRNA. Given that EV miRNA play important roles in maternal-fetal communication, this may have downstream consequences for maternal and child health, and underscore the importance of addressing mental health during pregnancy, especially in health disparities populations.

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