Elevated miR-9 in Cerebrospinal Fluid Is Associated with Poor Functional Outcome After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Identification and Validation of IFI44 as a Novel Biomarker for Primary Sjögren's Syndrome

Background

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune condition marked by lymphocyte infiltration in the exocrine glands. Our study aimed to identify a novel biomarker for pSS to improve its diagnosis and treatment.

Methods

The gene expression profiles of pSS were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened by the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), Random Forest (RF), and Recursive Feature Elimination with Support Vector Machines (SVM-RFE). A biomarker was picked out based on correlation and diagnostic performance, the connection between the biomarker and clinical traits and immune infiltrating cells was explored, and the biomarker's protein expression level in the serum of pSS patients was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network regulated by the biomarker was predicted to verify the reliability of the biomarker in diagnosing pSS.

Results

IFI44, XAF1, GBP1, EIF2AK2, IFI27, and IFI6 showed prominent diagnostic ability, with the high accuracy (AUC = 0.859) and significance (R ≥ 0.8) of IFI44 within the training dataset. IFI44 strongly exhibited a negative correlation with resting NK cells, macrophages M0, and eosinophils, and a positive correlation with activated dendritic cells, naive B cells, and activated CD4 memory T cells. Furthermore, IFI44 was significantly positively correlated with clinical traits such as IgG, SSA, SSB, ANA, and ESSDAI, with its protein expression level in the serum of pSS patients being notably elevated compared to controls (p < 0.001). Finally, the ceRNA regulatory network showed that hsa-miR-944, hsa-miR-9-5p, hsa-miR-126-5p, and hsa-miR-335-3p were significantly targeted IFI44, suggesting that IFI44 may serve as a dependable biomarker for pSS.

Conclusion

In this study, we dug out IFI44 as a biomarker for pSS, systematically studied the potential regulatory mechanism of IFI44, and verified its reliability as a biomarker for pSS.

The Relevance of Reperfusion Stroke Therapy for miR-9-3p and miR-9-5p Expression in Acute Stroke-A Preliminary Study

Reperfusion stroke therapy is a modern treatment that involves thrombolysis and the mechanical removal of thrombus from the extracranial and/or cerebral arteries, thereby increasing penumbra reperfusion. After reperfusion therapy, 46% of patients are able to live independently 3 months after stroke onset. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential regulators in the development of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury and the efficacy of the applied treatment. The first aim of this study was to examine the change in serum miRNA levels via next-generation sequencing (NGS) 10 days after the onset of acute stroke and reperfusion treatment. Next, the predictive values of the bioinformatics analysis of miRNA gene targets for the assessment of brain ischemic response to reperfusion treatment were explored. Human serum samples were collected from patients on days 1 and 10 after stroke onset and reperfusion treatment. The samples were subjected to NGS and then validated using qRT-PCR. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were used for enrichment analysis. Hsa-miR-9-3p and hsa-miR-9-5p expression were downregulated on day 10 compared to reperfusion treatment on day 1 after stroke. The functional analysis of miRNA target genes revealed a strong association between the identified miRNA and stroke-related biological processes related to neuroregeneration signaling pathways. Hsa-miR-9-3p and hsa-miR-9-5p are potential candidates for the further exploration of reperfusion treatment efficacy in stroke patients.

Research hotpots and frontier trends of neuroprotective effects of magnesium from 1999 to 2023: A bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND

The neuroprotective effect of magnesium has been widely discussed, and its effectiveness has been confirmed by animal and clinical trials. However, there are still difficulties in clinical translation in diseases such as cerebral ischemia and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the literatures about neuroprotection of magnesium to reveal a more comprehensive knowledge framework, research hotspots and trends in the future.

METHODS

Original articles and reviews related to neuroprotective effects of magnesium from 1999 to 2022 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). The bibliometrics CiteSpace 6.2.R4 software was used to conduct co-occurrence/co-citation network analysis and plot knowledge visualization maps.

RESULTS

A total of 762 articles from 216 institutions in 64 countries were included in this study. The United States had the largest number of publications, followed by China and Canada. The University of California, UDICE-French Research Universities, and the University of Adelaide were the top three institutions in publication volume. Crowther Caroline A was the most published and cited author. Among the top 10 cited articles, there were seven articles on neuroprotection in preterm infants and three on acute stroke. Keyword cluster analysis obtained 11 clusters, showing that current research hotspots focused on magnesium therapy in neurovascular diseases such as cerebral ischemia, spinal cord injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and emerging treatment strategies.

CONCLUSION

The neuroprotective effects of magnesium in preterm infants have been extensively studied and adequately confirmed. The therapeutic effects of magnesium on cerebral ischemia and subarachnoid hemorrhage have been demonstrated in animal models. However, the results of clinical studies were not satisfactory, and exploring new therapeutic strategies may be the solution. Recently, the combination of magnesium and hypothermia had great potential in neuroprotective therapy and may become a development trend and hotspot in the future.

The Role of MicroRNAs in Predicting the Neurological Outcome of Patients with Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Meta-analysis

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease with an extremely poor prognosis. The molecular mechanism and biomarkers involved in neurological outcome after SAH still need to be explored. This study assessed the microRNA expression characteristics of SAH patients with different neurological outcomes by meta-analysis. Public databases were searched from database inception until December 2022. The study reported that microRNA expression data in SAH patients with different neurological outcomes were included in the analysis. The differential expression of miRNAs was evaluated by meta-analysis. Overrepresentation analysis was performed for the targeted genes of significant miRNAs. The XGBoost algorithm was used to assess the predictive ability for neurological outcomes with clinical characteristics and significantly expressed miRNAs. Seven studies were finally included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that the levels of miR-152-3p (SMD: - 0.230; 95% CI - 0.389, - 0.070; padj = 0.041), miR-221-3p (SMD: - 0.286; 95% CI - 0.446, - 0.127; padj = 0.007), and miR-34a-5p (SMD: - 0.227; 95% CI - 0.386, - 0.067; padj = 0.041) were significantly lower in SAH patients with good neurological outcomes than in those with poor neurological outcomes. The PI3K-AKT signaling pathway may have an important role in neurological recovery after SAH. Based on the XGBoost algorithm, the neurological outcome could be accurately predicted with clinical characteristics plus the three miRNAs. The expression levels of miR-152-3p, miR-221-3p, and miR-34a-5p were significantly lower in patients with good neurological outcomes than in those with poor outcomes. These miRNAs can serve as potential predictive biomarkers for neurological outcomes. The molecular mechanism and biomarkers involved in neurological outcome after SAH still need to be explored. Our study analyzed microRNA expression characteristics of SAH patients with different neurological outcomes by meta-analysis. After analyze studies reporting the microRNA expression data in SAH patients with different neurological outcomes, results show that the levels of miR-152-3p, miR-221-3p, and miR-34a-5p were significantly lower in SAH patients with good neurological outcomes than in those with poor neurological outcomes. The PI3K-AKT signaling pathway may have an important role in neurological recovery after SAH. Based on the XGBoost algorithm, the neurological outcome could be accurately predicted with clinical characteristics plus the three miRNAs.

MicroRNAs' Role in Diagnosis and Treatment of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is most commonly seen in patients over 55 years of age and often results in a loss of many productive years. SAH has a high mortality rate, and survivors often suffer from early and secondary brain injuries. Understanding the pathophysiology of the SAH is crucial in identifying potential therapeutic agents. One promising target for the diagnosis and prognosis of SAH is circulating microRNAs, which regulate gene expression and are involved in various physiological and pathological processes. In this review, we discuss the potential of microRNAs as a target for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in SAH.

Diagnosis potential of subarachnoid hemorrhage using miRNA signatures isolated from plasma-derived extracellular vesicles

The diagnosis and clinical management of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is currently limited by the lack of accessible molecular biomarkers that reflect the pathophysiology of disease. We used microRNAs (miRNAs) as diagnostics to characterize plasma extracellular vesicles in aSAH. It is unclear whether they can diagnose and manage aSAH. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to detect the miRNA profile of plasma extracellular vesicles (exosomes) in three patients with SAH and three healthy controls (HCs). We identified four differentially expressed miRNAs and validated the results using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) with 113 aSAH patients, 40 HCs, 20 SAH model mice, and 20 sham mice. Exosomal miRNA NGS revealed that six circulating exosomal miRNAs were differentially expressed in patients with aSAH versus HCs and that the levels of four miRNAs (miR-369-3p, miR-410-3p, miR-193b-3p, and miR-486-3p) were differentially significant. After multivariate logistic regression analysis, only miR-369-3p, miR-486-3p, and miR-193b-3p enabled prediction of neurological outcomes. In a mouse model of SAH, greater expression of miR-193b-3p and miR-486-3p remained statistically significant relative to controls, whereas expression levels of miR-369-3p and miR-410-3p were lower. miRNA gene target prediction showed six genes associated with all four of these differentially expressed miRNAs. The circulating exosomes miR-369-3p, miR-410-3p, miR-193b-3p, and miR-486-3p may influence intercellular communication and have potential clinical utility as prognostic biomarkers for aSAH patients.

MicroRNA-9-3p: a novel predictor of neurological outcome after cardiac arrest

AIMS

Resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients who remain comatose after hospital arrival are at high risk of mortality due to anoxic brain injury. MicroRNA are small-non-coding RNA molecules ultimately involved in gene-silencing. They show promise as biomarkers, as they are stable in body fluids. The microRNA 9-3p (miR-9-3p) is associated with neurological injury in trauma and subarachnoid haemorrhage.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This post hoc analysis considered all 171 comatose OHCA patients from a single centre in the target temperature management (TTM) trial. Patients were randomized to TTM at either 33°C or 36°C for 24 h. MicroRNA-9-3p (miR-9-3p) was measured in plasma sampled at admission and at 28, 48, and 72 h. There were no significant differences in age, gender, and pre-hospital data, including lactate level at admission, between miR-9-3p level quartiles. miR-9-3p levels changed markedly following OHCA with a peak at 48 h. Median miR-9-3p levels between TTM 33°C vs. 36°C were not different at any of the four time points. Elevated miR-9-3p levels at 48 h were strongly associated with an unfavourable neurological outcome [OR: 2.21, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.64-3.15, P < 0.0001). MiR-9-3p was inferior to neuron-specific enolase in predicting functional neurological outcome [area under the curve: 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71-0.87) vs. 0.91 (95% CI: 0.85-0.97)].

CONCLUSION

MiR-9-3p is strongly associated with neurological outcome following OHCA, and the levels of miR-9-3p are peaking 48 hours following cardiac arrest.

DCI after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Is Related to the Expression of MFG-E8

Objective

To explore the predictive value of milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) in the occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH).

Methods

We recruited 32 patients with aSAH as the case group and 24 patients with unruptured aneurysms as the control group. Serum MFG-E8 levels were measured by western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We analyzed the relationship between MFG-E8 levels and the risk of DCI.

Results

The levels of serum MFG-E8 in the case group (mean = 11160.9 pg/mL) were significantly higher than those in the control group (mean = 3081.0 pg/mL, p < 0.001). MFG-E8 levels highly correlated with the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) and modified Fisher scores (r = -0.691 and - 0.767, respectively, p < 0.001). In addition, MFG-E8 levels in patients with DCI (5882.7 ± 3162.4 pg/mL) were notably higher than those in patients without DCI (15818.2 ± 3771.6 pg/mL, p < 0.001). A receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the occurrence of DCI could effectively be predicted by MFG-E8 (area under the curve = 0.976, 95%CI = 0.850-1.000). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a remarkable decrease in the incidence of DCI in case group individuals with high levels of MFG-E8 (≥11160.9 pg/mL, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

MFG-E8 may be a useful predictive marker for DCI after an aSAH and could be a promising surrogate end point.

MicroRNAs as Biomarkers for Predicting Complications following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a high mortality hemorrhagic stroke that affects nearly 30,000 patients annually in the United States. Approximately 30% of aSAH patients die during initial hospitalization and those who survive often carry poor prognosis with one in five having permanent physical and/or cognitive disabilities. The poor outcome of aSAH can be the result of the initial catastrophic event or due to the many acute or delayed neurological complications, such as cerebral ischemia, hydrocephalus, and re-bleeding. Unfortunately, no effective biomarker exists to predict or diagnose these complications at a clinically relevant time point when neurologic injury can be effectively treated and managed. Recently, a number of studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) in extracellular biofluids are highly associated with aSAH and complications. Here we provide an overview of the current research on relevant human studies examining the correlation between miRNAs and aSAH complications and discuss the potential application of using miRNAs as biomarkers in aSAH management.

A Highly Predictive MicroRNA Panel for Determining Delayed Cerebral Vasospasm Risk Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Approximately one-third of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients develop delayed cerebral vasospasm (DCV) 3-10 days after aneurysm rupture resulting in additional, permanent neurologic disability. Currently, no validated biomarker is available to determine the risk of DCV in aSAH patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in virtually all human diseases, including aSAH, and are found in extracellular biofluids including plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We used a custom designed TaqMan Low Density Array miRNA panel to examine the levels of 47 selected brain and vasculature injury related miRNAs in CSF and plasma specimens collected from 31 patients with or without DCV at 3 and 7 days after aSAH, as well as from eight healthy controls. The analysis of the first 18-patient cohort revealed a striking differential expression pattern of the selected miRNAs in CSF and plasma of aSAH patients with DCV from those without DCV. Importantly, this differential expression was observed at the early time point (3 days after aSAH), before DCV event occurs. Seven miRNAs were identified as reliable DCV risk predictors along with a prediction model constructed based on an array of additional 19 miRNAs on the panel. These chosen miRNAs were then used to predict the risk of DCV in a separate, testing cohort of 15 patients. The accuracy of DCV risk prediction in the testing cohort reached 87%. The study demonstrates that our novel designed miRNA panel is an effective predictor of DCV risk and has strong applications in clinical management of aSAH patients.

Neuroprotective effect of magnesium supplementation on cerebral ischemic diseases

Ischemic encephalopathy is associated with a high mortality and rate of disability. The most common type of ischemic encephalopathy, ischemic stroke, is the second leading cause of death in the world. At present, the main treatment for ischemic stroke is to reopen blocked blood vessels. However, despite revascularization, many patients are not able to achieve good functional results. At the same time, the strict time window (<4.5 h) of thrombolytic therapy limits clinical application. Therefore, it is important to explore effective neuroprotective drugs for the treatment of ischemic stroke. Magnesium is a natural calcium antagonist, which exerts neuroprotective effects through various mechanisms. However, while most basic studies have shown that magnesium supplementation can help treat cerebral ischemia, intravenous magnesium supplementation in large clinical trials has failed to improve prognosis of ischemic patients. Therefore, we review the basic and clinical studies of magnesium supplementation for cerebral ischemia. According to the route of administration, treatment can be divided into intraperitoneal magnesium supplementation, intravenous magnesium supplementation, arterial magnesium supplementation and intracranial magnesium supplementation. We also summarized the potential influencing factors of magnesium ion intervention in cerebral ischemia injury. Finally, in combination with influencing factors derived from basic research, this article proposes three future research directions, including magnesium supplementation into the circulatory system combined with magnesium supplementation in the lateral ventricle, magnesium supplementation in the lateral ventricle combined with hypothermia therapy, and lateral ventricle magnesium supplementation combined with intracarotid magnesium supplementation combined with selective hypothermia.

MicroRNA-9-3p Aggravates Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Targeting Fibroblast Growth Factor 19 (FGF19) to Inactivate GSK-3β/Nrf2/ARE Signaling

PURPOSE

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as essential regulators in the development of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. This study aimed to explore the regulation of miR-9-3p on FGF19-GSK-3β/Nrf2/ARE signaling in cerebral I/R injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A mouse model with I/R injury was constructed by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and an HT22 cell model was established by oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R). The expression of miR-9-3p was detected by RT-qPCR. Protein expression of fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), cleaved caspase-3, and GSK-3β signaling-related proteins (p-GSK-3β and Nrf2) were detected by Western blot. Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay. Oxidative stress was detected by commercial kits. The target of miR-9-3p was predicted by TargetScan and confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. The effects of miR-9-3p on GSK-3β/Nrf2/ARE signaling were assessed by rescue experiments.

RESULTS

MiR-9-3p was significantly upregulated in brain tissues of MCAO/R-treated mice and OGD/R-treated HT22 cells. Downregulation of miR-9-3p attenuated infarct volume and neurological outcomes of MCAO/R-treated mice in vivo and OGD/R-induced cell injury and oxidative stress in vitro, while overexpression of miR-9-3p showed the opposite effects. MiR-9-3p directly bound to the 3'-untranslated region of FGF19 and negatively regulated its expression. Inhibition of miR-9-3p enhanced GSK-3β/Nrf2/ARE signaling-mediated antioxidant response, while this effect was partially eliminated by FGF19 or Nrf2 silencing.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that inhibition of miR-9-3p protects against cerebral I/R injury through activating GSK-3β/Nrf2/ARE signaling-mediated antioxidant responses by targeting FGF19, providing a potential therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.

Elevated Pro-Inflammatory Cell-Free MicroRNA Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid of Premature Infants after Intraventricular Hemorrhage

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) represents a high risk of neonatal mortality and later neurodevelopmental impairment in prematurity. IVH is accompanied with inflammation, hemolysis, and extracellular hemoglobin (Hb) oxidation. However, microRNA (miRNA) expression in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of preterm infants with IVH has been unknown. Therefore, in the present study, candidate pro-inflammatory cell-free miRNAs were analyzed in CSF samples from 47 preterm infants with grade III or IV IVH vs. clinical controls (n = 14). miRNAs were quantified by RT-qPCR, normalized to “spike-in” cel-miR-39. Oxidized Hb and total heme levels were determined by spectrophotometry as well as IL-8, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and E-selectin concentrations by ELISA. To reveal the origin of the investigated miRNAs, controlled hemolysis experiments were performed in vitro; in addition, human choroid plexus epithelial cell (HCPEpiC) cultures were treated with metHb, ferrylHb, heme, or TNF-α to replicate IVH-triggered cellular conditions. Levels of miR-223, miR-155, miR-181b, and miR-126 as well as Hb metabolites along with IL-8 were elevated in CSF after the onset of IVH vs. controls. Significant correlations were observed among the miRNAs, oxidized Hb forms, and the soluble adhesion molecules. During the post-IVH follow-up, attenuated expression of miRNAs and protein biomarkers in CSF was observed upon elimination of Hb metabolites. These miRNAs remained unaffected by a series of artificially induced hemolysis, which excluded red blood cells as their origin, while stimulation of HCPEpiCs with oxidized Hb fractions and heme resulted in increased extracellular miRNA levels in the cell culture supernatant. Overall, the hemorrhage-induced CSF miRNAs reflected inflammatory conditions as potential biomarkers in preterm IVH.

Inhibition of microRNA-9-5p and microRNA-128-3p can inhibit ischemic stroke-related cell death in vitro and in vivo

Ischemic stroke is the major form of stroke and is accentuated by multiple comorbidities. It has been previously shown that different microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate separate aspects of ischemic stroke. Differential miRNA expression analysis in cerebrospinal fluid of stroke patients had revealed upregulation of miR-124-3p, miR-9-3p, miR-9-5p, and miR-128-3p. However, whether the overexpression is correlative or causative was not known. Here, using an in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) neuronal cell model, we saw OGD/R-induced injury was associated with significant upregulation of the aforementioned four miRNAs. Target gene prediction using in situ algorithms and gene set enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment of FOXO and Relaxin signaling pathways and regulatory processes associated with endothelial cell migration, which are all known to associate with apoptotic pathways. In situ protein-protein interaction network analysis confirmed the findings of gene set enrichment analysis. TUNEL analysis showed that OGD/R-induced injury resulted in significant apoptosis, which was significantly inhibited in neuronal cells pretransfected with inhibitors of either miR-9-5p or miR-128-3p. Further testing in an in vivo middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model of ischemic stroke showed that inhibiting miR-9-5p or miR-128-3p significantly decreases MCAO-induced infraction volume and inhibited apoptotic response as revealed by decreased cleaved Caspase-3 protein expression in immunohistochemical analysis. Combined inhibition of miR-9-5p and miR-128-3p resulted in a synergistic decrease in cell death and infraction volume in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Cumulatively, our results provide critical knowledge about the mechanism by which elevated miR-9-5p and miR-128-3p causes brain damage in ischemic stroke and provides evidence of them being attractive therapeutic targets.