Serum miR-16-5p and miR-486-5p levels are associated with aggression, depression, and anxiety in the context of psychiatric disorders with suicide attempts

Abstract Background Psychiatric disorders increase the relative risk of suicide. There is a great demand for reliable markers that interact with suicidal behavior in the context of psychiatric disorders. The present study aimed to determine the associations of circulating miRNAs with established psychometric and biochemical markers of suicidal behavior in healthy individuals and patients with psychiatric disorders who attempted lifetime suicide. Methods The study included 27 patients with psychiatric disorders who attempted lifetime suicide and 27 healthy subjects. The participants were administered the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), the Personal Views Survey (PVS) for the measurement of hardiness, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). The peripheral concentrations of BDNF, cortisol, serotonin, and total cholesterol were estimated using routine biochemical methods. The serum levels of miR-16-5p, miR-30a-5p, miR-132-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-134-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-192-5p, and miR-486-5p were measured by the polyadenylation of RNA coupled with reverse transcription followed by real-time PCR. Results The serum levels of miR-16-5p and miR-486-5p were significantly higher in patients than in controls. The contents of miR-16-5p and miR-486-5p were positively correlated with the BPAQ, BDI, and STAI scores but not with the PVS scores or peripheral BDNF, serotonin, and cortisol concentrations. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated the acceptable distinguishing capability of miR-16-5p and miR-486-5p between patients and controls. Conclusion Thus, serum miR-16-5p and miR-486-5p are associated with aggression, depression, and anxiety and may be considered as potential biomarkers of suicidal behavior in psychiatric disorders.