Circulating miR-425 can be a biomarker for depression in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Introduction

Depression, a common comorbidity in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), is often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proved to be promising biomarker candidates for PD. However, no miRNAs are currently available as biochemical markers of depression in PD.

Method

Serum samples from 52 healthy controls, 69 non-depressed PD patients (PD-ND), and 62 depressed PD patients (PD-D) were analyzed using qPCR to measure miR-425 levels. All the participants were assessed using detailed clinical scales.

Results

miRNA-425 (miR-425) expression in PD-D patients was downregulated compared with that in PD-ND patients, with an area under the curve of 0.867 in receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. miR-425 levels were negatively correlated with the severity of depression (HAMD, r = -0.423, p < 0.001) and anxiety (HAMA, r = -0.469, p < 0.001). Additionally, PD-D patients scored higher in H-Y, MDS-UPDRS (I, II, and III), NMSS (1, 3, 5, and 9), HAMD, HAMA, RBDSQ, ESS, and ADL and lower in NMSS7, MMSE, SS-16, and PDQ-39 than PD-ND patients. Binary logistic regression analysis identified that cognitive impairment (MMSE, p = 0.001) and anxiety (HAMA, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with depression in PD.

Conclusion

Circulating miR-425 shows significant potential as a biomarker for depression in PD, with distinct downregulation in PD-D patients and a strong correlation with depression severity. Our findings suggest a unique potential for improving PD-D diagnosis and understanding its pathophysiology.