Inflammatory proteins and miRNA-144-5p in patients with depression, anxiety, or stress- and adjustment disorders after psychological treatment.

Both inflammatory proteins and microRNAs (miRNA) have been reported to be associated with various psychiatric disorders. However, the association between inflammatory proteins and miRNAs remains largely unknown, especially for patients with depression, anxiety, or stress- and adjustment disorders. In this study, we analyzed plasma levels of 92 inflammatory proteins from 178 patients with depression, anxiety, or stress- and adjustment disorders at baseline and after 8-week psychological treatments which resulted in a significant decrease in the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-S) score. We investigated the response of the proteins after treatment and the correlation with miR-144-5p. After Benjamini-Hochberg correction for multiple testing, a total of 36 inflammatory proteins changed significantly after 8-week psychological treatments. Among the 36 significantly changed proteins, 21 proteins showed a decrease, and 17/21 proteins were inversely associated with plasma miR-144-5p levels at baseline. In addition, decreases in these proteins were associated with increases in miR-144-5p after treatment. The findings were similar after stratification by use of medications. The associations between the proteins and depression at baseline, measured by MADRS-S, as well as the change in protein levels and treatment response were, however, less clear. These findings need to be examined in future studies.