Page 37 - ITPS-8-2

INNOSC Theranostics

and Pharmacological Sciences

REVIEW ARTICLE
Emerging biomarkers in major depressive

disorder: Diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic
implications

Muhammad Kamran Ameer 1,2† , Muhammad Ikram 3 ,
Muhammad Imran Khan 4 , Fazal Wahab 4 , Muhammad Imran Naseer 5 ,
2†
and Najeeb Ullah *
1 Department of Anatomy, Company Multan Medical and Dental College, Multan, Pakistan
2 Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
3 Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan
4 Pak Austria Fachhochschule: Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, Mang, Haripur, Pakistan
5 Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Institute of
Genomic Medicine Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract
Recent advancements in biomarker research for the diagnosis, prognosis, and
† These authors contributed equally
to this work. treatment strategies of major depressive disorder (MDD) have yielded significant
findings that warrant documentation. The clinical demand for biomarkers persists
*Corresponding author: due to the limited accuracy and efficiency of subjective diagnostic approaches. This
Najeeb Ullah
(drnajeeb.ibms@kmu.edu.pk) review scrutinized research papers related to MDD biomarkers published between
January 2011 and till July 2024, focusing exclusively on human studies with statistically
Citation: Ameer MK, Ikram M,
Khan MI, Wahab F, Naseer MI, significant results. The compiled biomarkers encompass cellular membrane
Ullah N. Emerging biomarkers receptors, cytoplasmic organelles, and genomic and epigenomic intranuclear
in major depressive disorder: markers. Cell surface molecular receptors implicated in MDD pathogenesis include
Diagnostic, prognostic, and
therapeutic implications. INNOSC brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) receptors, N-methyl D-aspartate receptors
Theranostics and Pharmacological (NMDAR), and interleukin (IL) receptors. Endogenous compounds with diagnostic
Sciences. 2025;8(2):31-45. and prognostic potential, such as L-carnitine and alpha-L-carnitine, have also been
doi: 10.36922/itps.4404
identified. Transcriptomic biomarkers, including mRNA expression levels of the BDNF,
Received: August 1, 2024 IL-1β, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha
Revised: November 19, 2024 (TNF-α), have demonstrated utility in MDD management. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), the
endogenous molecules that alter the structure of mRNA, show potential for diagnosis
Accepted: December 16, 2024
and treatment outcome prediction, with miR-221-3p, miR-129-5p, miR-134, and
Published online: January 10, miR-184 emerging as key candidates for MDD monitoring. Long non-coding RNAs
2025 (lncRNAs), such as GSK3βAS1, GSK3βAS2, and GSK3βAS3 have been investigated
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). for the evaluation of disease severity and treatment response. Most recently, the
This is an Open-Access article pathological role of circular (circRNA) and DNA methylation in MDD has also been
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution documented. The rs155979 polymorphism in the lncRNA NOTHSAT102891 was
License, permitting distribution, significantly associated with depression and risk of suicide. The data compiled in this
and reproduction in any medium, review aim to guide further research in the quest for biomarkers that will improve the
provided the original work is
properly cited. management of MDD.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience
Publishing remains neutral with Keywords: Biomarkers; Cell signaling markers; Intranuclear markers; Major depressive
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional disorder
affiliations

Volume 8 Issue 2 (2025) 31 doi: 10.36922/itps.4404