Moreover, among all the validated target genes of the 21 modulated miRNAs, they also found the DNA Methyltransferase 3 Beta (targeted by miR-148b), the Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) (targeted by miR-20b, miR-20a, miR-34a, and miR-35b-5p), and the B-cell lymphoma 2 (targeted by miR-34a) genes, that interestingly have all been already associated with depression vulnerability (Smalheiser et al. 2012). This evidence concerns the gene VEGFA and major depressive disorder.