Ricerc@Sapienza

Early adversities are known to represent the major risk factor for psychopathologies expression, such as depression, when individuals are exposed to stressful conditions later in life. Stress-coping behavior style depends on genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. Among epigenetic factors, microRNAs (miRs) have emerged as key regulators of the neurobiological processes controlling the stress response.
In particular, miRs belonging to the miR-34 family have been linked to pathogenesis of psychopathologies, including depression, characterized by alterations in coping strategies to stress.
Interestingly, recent studies suggested a link between altered peripheral miR-34a expression and adverse childhood experiences in depressed.
Based on these premises, using a translational approach here we propose miR-34 as an objective, reliable peripheral biological marker of risk to develop a depression-like phenotype (inducing a preferential passive coping style) in adult mice previously exposed to Early-life Adversity. Moreover, using an innovative pharmacological approach we will try to prevent the behavioral consequences of early adversity.
Finally, we propose to translate our preclinical results to human by investigating peripheral miR-34 levels in individuals with a story of early adversities.