Background. Evidence shows that microRNAs (miRNAs) could play a key role in the homeostasis and development of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. The present study is aimed at investigating the changes in circulating miRNA expression profiles in a plasma of patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) to distinguish and evaluate these molecules as biomarkers for mood disorders. Methods. A study enrolled a total of 184 subjects: 74 controls, 84 MDD patients, and 26 BD patients. Small RNA sequencing revealed 11 deregulated circulating miRNAs in MDD and BD plasma, of which expression of 5, hsa-miR-139-3p, miRNAs hsa-let-7e-5p, hsa-let-7f-5p, hsa-miR-125a-5p, and hsa-miR-483-5p, were further verified using qPCR. miRNA gene expression data was evaluated alongside the data from clinical assessment questionnaires. Results. hsa-let-7e-5p and hsa-miR-125a-5p were both confirmed upregulated: 0.75-fold and 0.25-fold, respectively, in the MDD group as well as 1.36-fold and 0.68-fold in the BD group. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis showed mediocre diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of both hsa-let-7e-5p and hsa-miR-125a-5p with approximate area under the curve (AOC) of 0.66. ROC analysis of combined miRNA and clinical assessment data showed that hsa-let-7e-5p and hsa-miR-125a-5p testing could improve MDD and BD diagnostic accuracy by approximately 10. Conclusions. Circulating hsa-let-7e-5 and hsa-miR-125a-5p could serve as additional peripheral biomarkers for mood disorders; however, suicidal ideation remains the major diagnostic factor for MDD and BD.

The aim of the present study was to determine if the Ki-67 labelling index reflects invasiveness of pituitary adenoma and to evaluate IL-17A concentration in blood serum of pituitary adenoma patients. The study was conducted in the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. All pituitary adenomas were analysed based on magnetic resonance imaging findings. The suprasellar extension and sphenoid sinus invasion by pituitary adenoma were classified according to Hardy classification modified by Wilson. Knosp classification system was used to quantify the invasion of the cavernous sinus. The Ki-67 labelling index was obtained by immunohistochemical analysis with the monoclonal antibody, and serum levels of IL-17A were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sixty-nine PA tissue samples were investigated. Serum levels of IL–17A were determined in 60 patients with PA and 64 control subjects. Analysis revealed statistically significantly higher Ki-67 labelling index in invasive compared to noninvasive pituitary adenomas. Median serum IL-17A level was higher in the pituitary adenoma patients than in the control group. Conclusion. IL-17A might be a significant marker for patients with pituitary adenoma and Ki-67 labelling index in case of invasive pituitary adenomas.

Background. To determine the impact of HTRA1 rs1120638, TIMP3 rs9621532, VEGFA rs833068, CFI rs10033900, ERCC6 rs3793784, and KCTD10 rs56209061 genotypes on the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the Lithuanian population. Methods. A total of 916 subjects were examined: 309 patients with early AMD, 301 patients with exudative AMD, and 306 healthy controls. The genotyping of HTRA1 rs11200638, TIMP3 rs9621532, VEGFA rs833068, CFI rs10033900, ERCC6 rs3793784, and KCTD10 rs56209061 was carried out using the RT-PCR method. Results. Our study showed that single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs3793784 and rs11200638 were associated with increased odds of early and exudative AMD, and the variant in KCTD10 (rs56209061) was found to be associated with decreased odds of early and exudative AMD development after adjustments for age and gender in early AMD analysis and after adjustments only for age in exudative AMD. The haplotype containing two minor alleles C-A and the G-A haplotype in rs3793784-rs11200638 were statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of exudative AMD development after adjustment for age, while the G-G haplotype showed a protective role against early and exudative AMD and the haplotype C-G in rs3793784-rs11200638 was associated with a decreased risk only of exudative AMD development. Conclusions. Our study identified two markers, rs11200638 and rs3793784, as risk factors for early and exudative AMD, and one marker, rs56209061, as a protective factor for early and exudative AMD development. The haplotypes constructed of rs3793784-rs11200638 were found to be associated with AMD development, as well.

Optical neuritis (ON), otherwise known as optical nerve damage, is a term used to describe various environmental and body conditions that lead to optic nerve dysfunction. Neurologists are well aware of conditions that cause optic neuropathy, such as trauma, infections, malnutrition, and various toxins. As optic neuritis is a multifactorial demyelinating or infectious process, genetic predisposition may also influence the progression of optic neuritis. This study aimed to evaluate the association of ON (with and without multiple sclerosis) with APOE alleles and APOE serum levels. We found that the APOE ε3/ε3 genotype was statistically less common in the ON group of males than in the control group (p = 0.045). Moreover, the APOE ε3/ε3 genotype had a 3.7-fold increase in the odds of ON development in males (OR = 3.698; CI: 1.503–9.095; p = 0.004). In contrast, the APOE ε3/ε4 genotype had a 4.1-fold decrease in the odds of ON development in males (OR = 0.242; CI: 0.083–0.704; p = 0.009). APOE serum levels were statistically significantly higher in the ON group than in the control group (p = 0.042). The APOE ε3/ε3 genotype may increase males’ risk of developing ON, while the ε3/ε4 genotype may reduce males’ risk of developing ON.

Considering the immunological impairment in age‐related macular degeneration (AMD), we aimed to determine the associations of IL-9 rs1859430, rs2069870, rs11741137, rs2069885, and rs2069884 and IL-10 rs1800871, rs1800872, and rs1800896 polymorphisms and their haplotypes, as well as the serum levels of IL‐9 and IL‐10 with AMD. 1209 participants were enrolled in our study. SNPs were genotyped using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays by real‐time PCR method. IL‐9 and IL‐10 serum levels were evaluated using ELISA kits. Our study results have shown that haplotypes A‐G‐C‐G‐G and G‐A‐T‐A‐T of IL-9 SNPs are associated with the decreased odds of early AMD occurrence (p = 0.035 and p = 0.015, respectively). A set of rare haplotypes was associated with the decreased odds of exudative AMD occurrence (p = 0.033). Also, IL‐10 serum levels were lower in exudative AMD than in controls (p = 0.049), patients with early AMD (p = 0.017), and atrophic AMD (p = 0.008). Furthermore, exudative AMD patients with IL-10 rs1800896 CT and TT genotypes had lower IL‐10 serum concentrations than those with wild‐type (CC) genotype (p = 0.048). In conclusion, our study suggests that IL‐10 serum levels can be associated with a minor allele at IL-10 rs1800896 and exudative AMD. The haplotypes of IL‐9 SNPs were also associated with the decreased odds of early and exudative AMD.