The Role of miRNAs in the Differential Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease and Major Depression: A Bioinformatics-Based Approach


ÖZTAN G., İŞSEVER H., Issever T.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES, cilt.26, sa.17, 2025 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 26 Sayı: 17
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.3390/ijms26178218
  • Dergi Adı: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CAB Abstracts, EMBASE, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • İstanbul Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are prevalent central nervous system (CNS) disorders that share overlapping symptoms but differ in underlying molecular mechanisms. Distinguishing these mechanisms is essential for developing targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. In this study, we integrated multi-tissue transcriptomic datasets from brain and peripheral samples to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in AD and MDD. Functional enrichment analyses (KEGG, GO) revealed that dysregulated miRNAs in AD were associated with MAPK, PI3K-Akt, Ras, and PD-1/PD-L1 signaling, pathways linked to synaptic plasticity, neuroinflammation, and immune regulation. In contrast, MDD-associated miRNAs showed enrichment in Hippo signaling and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, implicating altered neurogenesis and protein homeostasis. Network analysis highlighted key disease- and tissue-specific miRNAs, notably hsa-miR-1202 and hsa-miR-24-3p, with potential roles in neuronal survival and molecular network regulation. These findings suggest that miRNAs may serve as non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring in both disorders. While therapeutic targeting of miRNAs offers promise, challenges such as blood-brain barrier penetration and tissue-specific delivery remain. This integrative approach provides a translational framework for advancing miRNA-based strategies in CNS disease research.