Association Between Serum lncRNA XIST Levels and Depressive Disorder
Description
Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) XIST has been implicated in the pathogenesis of depression, yet its precise role in the disorder remains inadequately understood. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum XIST levels, depression, and associated clinical characteristics in a relatively large population. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that XIST expression was significantly elevated in the hippocampus of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) mice. Among study participants, 35.7% were diagnosed with depression. Serum XIST levels were higher in currently depressed individuals compared to both healthy controls and those with remitted depression. Elevated XIST levels were significantly associated with current depression after adjusting for confounding variables. In patients with current depression, serum XIST levels were positively correlated with HAMD-24 scores (β = 0.97, SE = 0.22, P = 0.02). Stratified regression analyses demonstrated significant associations between XIST levels and depression in men (β = 1.13, P = 0.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.54), women (β = 1.24, P = 0.02, 95% CI 1.04–1.76), and participants aged ≤40 years (β = 1.76, P = 0.006, 95% CI 1.03–3.97). Furthermore, depressed individuals with elevated serum XIST levels had a higher risk (RR = 1.09, P = 0.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.17) of experiencing depressive symptoms at a one-year follow-up. This study indicates that elevated serum XIST levels are associated with both the presence and severity of depression. The upregulation of XIST expression may serve as a potential biological marker and vulnerability factor for depression.