Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor and microRNA-451a in Response to Mindfulness-based Therapy or Treatment as Usual in Patients with Depression, Anxiety, or Stress and Adjustment Disorders
Xiao Wang, Kristina Sundquist, Karolina Palmér, Anna Hedelius, Ashfaque Ahmed Memon, Jan Sundquist
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology January 10, 2018 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 168 |
| Population | Patients with depression, anxiety, or stress and adjustment disorders |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based therapy treatment as usual |
| Duration | 8-week follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Citations | 26 |
| Key findings | Macrophage migration inhibitory factor levels decreased significantly after psychotherapeutic intervention, but this reduction was not associated with improvement in psychiatric symptoms. MIF and microRNA-451a were inversely associated at baseline and in their changes over time, though microRNA-451a itself showed no significant change. |
Abstract
Background: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor is a proinflammatory cytokine that has been associated with various psychiatric disorders. MicroRNA-451a can directly target macrophage migration inhibitory factor and downregulate its expression in cells. However, the role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and microRNA-451a in psychiatric patients treated with psychotherapeutic interventions is unknown. In this study, our aim was to investigate levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and its regulating microRNA-451a in patients with depression, anxiety, or stress and adjustment disorders who underwent mindfulness-based therapy or treatment as usual.
Methods: A total of 168 patients with psychiatric disorders were included from a randomized controlled trial that compared mindfulness-based therapy with treatment as usual. Plasma levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and microRNA-451a were measured at baseline and after the 8-week follow-up using Luminex assay and qPCR.
Results: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor levels decreased significantly in patients posttreatment, whereas microRNA-451a levels showed a nonsignificant change. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor levels were inversely associated with microRNA-451a expression levels at baseline (β=-0.04, P=.008). The change in macrophage migration inhibitory factor levels (follow-up levels minus baseline levels) was associated with the change in microRNA-451a (follow-up levels minus baseline levels) (β=-0.06, P < .0001). The change in either macrophage migration inhibitory factor or microRNA-451a was not associated with improvement in psychiatric symptoms.
Conclusion: We demonstrate that the levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor decreased after psychotherapeutic interventions in patients with psychiatric disorders. However, this reduction was not associated with an improvement in psychiatric symptoms in response to the treatment. We also found an association between macrophage migration inhibitory factor and its regulating microRNA. However, this association needs to be further examined in future studies.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Remodeling the Epigenome Through Meditation: Effects on Brain, Body, and Well-being. Sub-cellular biochemistry 2025
- On the road to resilience: Epigenetic effects of meditation. Vitamins and hormones 2023
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction may decrease stress, disease activity, and inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with autoimmune hepatitis. JHEP reports : innovation in hepatology May 2022
- Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor as a Predictor for Long-term Improvements After Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy or Treatment as Usual for Depression, Anxiety or Stress and Adjustment Disorders Mindfulness June 1, 2020
- Mindfulness meditation and gene expression: a hypothesis-generating framework Current Opinion in Psychology July 11, 2019
Cites 3
- Brief mindfulness training reduces salivary IL-6 and TNF-α in young women with depressive symptomatology. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology June 9, 2016
- Mindfulness meditation and the immune system: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences January 21, 2016
- microRNAs as novel antidepressant targets: converging effects of ketamine and electroconvulsive shock therapy in the rat hippocampus The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology September 1, 2013