Integrated microRNA and mRNA gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to acute psychosocial stress: a repeated-measures within-subject pilot study

Magdalena Maria Jurkiewicz,Nia Fogelman,Dirk Alexander Moser,Indralatha Jayatilaka,Turhan Canli,Anatoly Mikhailik,Anett Mueller-Alcazar,Jamie Ferri

doi:10.1186/s13104-021-05635-3

Abstract

ObjectiveThe impact of psychosocial stress on a variety of negative health outcomes is well documented, with current research efforts directed at possible mechanisms. Here, we focused on a potential mechanism involving differential expression of mRNA and microRNA in response to acute psychosocial stress. We utilized a validated behavioral paradigm, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), to induce acute psychosocial stress in a cohort of volunteers. Stress reactivity was assessed repeatedly during the TSST using saliva samples that were analyzed for levels of cortisol. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were extracted from blood drawn at baseline and at two time points following the stress paradigm. Total RNA was extracted, and mRNA and microRNA microarrays were utilized to assess within-subject changes in gene expression between baseline and the two post-stressor time points.ResultsFor microarray gene expression analysis, we focused on 12 participants who showed a robust cortisol response to the task, as an indicator of robust HPA-axis activation. We discovered a set of mRNAs and miRNAs that exhibited dynamic expression change in response to the TSST in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, further characterizing the link between psychosocial stress and cellular response mechanisms.

Highlights

Organismal stress responses are associated with widespread changes in the transcriptome of circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), with changes in expression of genes regulating cell signaling, adhesion, differentiation, and immune pathways [1]
For microarray gene expression analysis, we focused on 12 participants who showed a robust cortisol response to the task, as an indicator of robust HPA-axis activation
We discovered a set of mRNAs and miRNAs that exhibited dynamic expression change in response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, further charac‐ terizing the link between psychosocial stress and cellular response mechanisms

Summary

Results

MRNAs that showed significant changes in expression at any time contrast according to limma p < 0.01 were put into IPA for expression pairing and are presented in Additional file 1: Table S1. Since miRNAs often result in subtle changes in gene expression, mRNAs that showed significant change in expression according to limma p < 0.01 were used in an expression-pairing analysis along with miRNAs significant according to criteria limma p < 0.01 and |FC|≥ 1.2. Resultant miRNA/mRNA expression pairs at each time contrast are listed in Additional file 2: Table S2A–C

Introduction

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Discussion

Limitations