A combined circulating microRNA panel predicts the risk of vascular calcification in community-dwelling older adults with age strata differences

BACKGROUND

Older adults have a higher risk of developing vascular calcification (VC). Circulating miRNAs can be potential risk indicators. However, prior studies used single miRNA mostly, whereas miRNA panels were rarely evaluated. We aimed to examine whether a miRNA panel outperformed each miRNA alone, and analyzed whether advanced age affected VC risk predictive performance offered by the miRNA panel.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled older adults (age ≥65 years) during their annual health checkup in 2017, and examined their VC severity followed by analyzing sera for VC regulatory miRNAs (miR-125b-5p, miR-125b-3p, and miR-378a-3p). We used multiple regression analyses to determine associations between each miRNA or a 3-combind panel and VC risk, followed by area under the receiver-operating-characteristics curve (AUROC) analysis. Participants were further divided to those of 65-75 and ≥75 years for comparison.

RESULTS

From 199 older adults screened, 169 (median age, 73.3 years) with available calcification assessment were analyzed, among whom 74.6 % having VC. Those with VC had significantly lower circulating miR-125b-5p, miR-125b-3p, and miR-378a-3p levels than those without. Regression analyses showed that the 3-combined miRNA panel exhibited significant associations with VC risk, with significantly higher AUROC than those of models based on individual miRNA. Importantly, in those ≥75 years, the miRNA-predicted risk of VC was more prominent than that in the 65-75 years group.

CONCLUSION

A miRNA panel for VC risk prediction might outperform individual miRNA alone in older adults, and advanced age modified the association between circulating miRNAs and the risk of VC.

A unique circulating microRNA pairs signature serves as a superior tool for early diagnosis of pan-cancer

Cancer remains a major burden globally and the critical role of early diagnosis is self-evident. Although various miRNA-based signatures have been developed in past decades, clinical utilization is limited due to a lack of precise cutoff value. Here, we innovatively developed a signature based on pairwise expression of miRNAs (miRPs) for pan-cancer diagnosis using machine learning approach. We analyzed miRNA spectrum of 15832 patients, who were divided into training, validation, test, and external test sets, with 13 different cancers from 10 cohorts. Five different machine-learning (ML) algorithms (XGBoost, SVM, RandomForest, LASSO, and Logistic) were adopted for signature construction. The best ML algorithm and the optimal number of miRPs included were identified using area under the curve (AUC) and youden index in validation set. The AUC of the best model was compared to previously published 25 signatures. Overall, Random Forest approach including 31 miRPs (31-miRP) was developed, proving highly efficient in cancer diagnosis across different datasets and cancer types (AUC range: 0.980-1.000). Regarding diagnosis of cancers at early stage, 31-miRP also exhibited high capacities, with AUC ranging from 0.961 to 0.998. Moreover, 31-miRP exhibited advantages in differentiating cancers from normal tissues (AUC range: 0.976-0.998) as well as differentiating cancers from corresponding benign lesions. Encouragingly, comparing to previously published 25 different signatures, 31-miRP also demonstrated clear advantages. In conclusion, 31-miRP acts as a powerful model for cancer diagnosis, characterized by high specificity and sensitivity as well as a clear cutoff value, thereby holding potential as a reliable tool for cancer diagnosis at early stage.

Circulating miRNAs associate with historical childhood asthma hospitalization in different serum vitamin D groups

BACKGROUND

Vitamin D may help to alleviate asthma exacerbation because of its anti-inflammation effect, but the evidence is inconsistent in childhood asthma. MiRNAs are important mediators in asthma pathogenesis and also excellent non-invasive biomarkers. We hypothesized that circulating miRNAs are associated with asthma exacerbation and modified by vitamin D levels.

METHODS

We sequenced baseline serum miRNAs from 461 participants in the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP). Logistic regression was used to associate miRNA expression with asthma exacerbation through interaction analysis first and then stratified by vitamin D insufficient and sufficient groups. Microarray from lymphoblastoid B-cells (LCLs) treated by vitamin D or sham of 43 subjects in CAMP were used for validation in vitro. The function of miRNAs was associated with gene modules by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA).

RESULTS

We identified eleven miRNAs associated with asthma exacerbation with vitamin D effect modification. Of which, five were significant in vitamin D insufficient group and nine were significant in vitamin D sufficient group. Six miRNAs, including hsa-miR-143-3p, hsa-miR-192-5p, hsa-miR-151a-5p, hsa-miR-24-3p, hsa-miR-22-3p and hsa-miR-451a were significantly associated with gene modules of immune-related functions, implying miRNAs may mediate vitamin D effect on asthma exacerbation through immune pathways. In addition, hsa-miR-143-3p and hsa-miR-451a are potential predictors of childhood asthma exacerbation at different vitamin D levels.

CONCLUSIONS

miRNAs are potential mediators of asthma exacerbation and their effects are directly impacted by vitamin D levels.

Keratinocyte-derived circulating microRNAs in extracellular vesicles: a novel biomarker of psoriasis severity and potential therapeutic target

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by pathogenic hyperproliferation of keratinocytes and immune dysregulation. Currently, objective evaluation tools reflecting the severity of psoriasis are insufficient. MicroRNAs in extracellular vesicles (EV miRNAs) have been shown to be potential biomarkers for various inflammatory diseases. Our objective was to investigate the possibility of plasma-derived EV miRNAs as a marker for the psoriasis disease severity.

METHODS

EVs were extracted from the plasma of 63 patients with psoriasis and 12 with Behçet's disease. We performed next-generation sequencing of the plasma-derived EV miRNAs from the psoriasis patients. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to validate the level of EV miRNA expression. In situ hybridization was used to discern the anatomical location of miRNAs. qRT-PCR, western blotting, and cell counting kits (CCKs) were used to investigate IGF-1 signaling in cells transfected with miRNA mimics.

RESULTS

We identified 19 differentially expressed EV miRNAs and validated the top three up-and down-regulated EV miRNAs. Among these, miR-625-3p was significantly increased in patients with severe psoriasis in both plasma and skin and most accurately distinguished moderate-to-severe psoriasis from mild-to-moderate psoriasis. It was produced and secreted by keratinocytes upon stimulation. We also observed a significant intensification of IGF-1 signalling and increased cell numbers in the miR-625-3p mimic transfected cells.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose keratinocyte-derived EV miR-625-3p as a novel and reliable biomarker for estimating the severity of psoriasis. This biomarker could objectively evaluate the severity of psoriasis in the clinical setting and might serve as a potential therapeutic target. Trial registration None.

Candidate circulating microRNA biomarkers in dogs with chronic pancreatitis

BACKGROUND

Pancreatitis is an important cause of disease and death in dogs. Available circulating biomarkers are not sufficiently sensitive and specific for a definitive diagnosis.

HYPOTHESIS

Circulating microRNAs would be differentially expressed in dogs with chronic pancreatitis and could have potential as diagnostic biomarkers.

ANIMALS

Healthy controls (n = 19) and dogs with naturally occurring pancreatitis (n = 17).

METHODS

A retrospective case-control study. Dogs with pancreatitis were included if they satisfied diagnostic criteria for pancreatitis as adjudicated by 3 experts. MicroRNA was extracted from stored serum samples and sequenced. Reads were mapped to mature microRNA sequences in the canine, mouse, and human genomes. Differentially expressed microRNAs were identified and the potential mechanistic relevance explored using Qiagen Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA).

RESULTS

Reads mapping to 196 mature microRNA sequences were detected. Eight circulating microRNAs were significantly differentially expressed in dogs with pancreatitis (≥2-fold change and false discovery rate <0.05). Four of these mapped to the canine genome (cfa-miR-221, cfa-miR-222, cfa-miR-23a, and cfa-miR-205). Three mapped to the murine genome (mmu-miR-484, mmu-miR-6240, mmu-miR-101a-3p) and 1 to the human genome (hsa-miR-1290). Expression in dogs with pancreatitis was higher for 7 microRNAs and lower for mmu-miR-101a-3p. Qiagen IPA demonstrated a number of the differently expressed microRNAs are involved in a common pancreatic inflammatory pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

The significantly differentially expressed microRNAs represent promising candidates for further validation as diagnostic biomarkers for canine pancreatitis.

Circulating microRNA Biomarkers of Thiazide Response in Hypertension

BACKGROUND

Thiazide diuretics are the second most frequently prescribed class of antihypertensives, but up to 50% of patients with hypertension have minimal antihypertensive response to thiazides. We explored circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in search of predictive biomarkers of thiazide response.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We profiled 754 miRNAs in baseline plasma samples of 36 hypertensive European American adults treated with hydrochlorothiazide, categorized into responders (n=18) and nonresponders (n=18) on the basis of diastolic blood pressure response to hydrochlorothiazide. miRNAs with ≥2.5-fold differential expression between responders and nonresponders were considered for validation in 3 cohorts (n=50 each): hydrochlorothiazide-treated European Americans, chlorthalidone-treated European Americans, and hydrochlorothiazide-treated Black individuals. Different blood pressure phenotypes including categorical (responder versus nonresponder) and continuous diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure were tested for association with the candidate miRNA expression using multivariate regression analyses adjusting for age, sex, and baseline blood pressure. After quality control, 74 miRNAs were available for screening, 19 of which were considered for validation. In the validation cohort, miR-193b-3p and 30d-5p showed significant associations with continuous SBP or diastolic blood pressure response or both, to hydrochlorothiazide in European Americans at Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted P<0.05. In the combined analysis of validation cohorts, let-7g (odds ratio, 0.6 [95% CI, 0.4-0.8]), miR-142-3p (odds ratio, 1.1 [95% CI, 1.0, 1.2]), and miR-423-5p (odds ratio, 0.7 [95% CI, 0.5-0.9]) associated with categorical diastolic blood pressure response at Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted P<0.05. Predicted target genes of the 5 miRNAs were mapped to key hypertension pathways: lysine degradation, fatty acid biosynthesis, and metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

The above identified circulating miRNAs may have a potential for clinical use as biomarkers for thiazide diuretic selection in hypertension.

REGISTRATION

URL: ClinicalTrials.gov. Unique identifiers: NCT00246519, NCT01203852, NCT00005520.

Plasma circulating microRNAs associated with blood-based immune markers: a population-based study

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression and different immune-related pathways. There is a great interest in identifying miRNAs involved in immune cell development and function to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying the immune system, its regulation, and disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of circulating miRNAs with blood cell compositions and blood-based immune markers. Circulating levels of 2083 miRNAs were measured by RNA-sequencing in plasma samples of 1999 participants from the population-based Rotterdam Study collected between 2002 and 2005. Full blood count measurements were performed for absolute granulocyte, platelet, lymphocyte, monocyte, white, and red blood cell counts. Multivariate analyses were performed to test the association of miRNAs with blood cell compositions and immune markers. We evaluated the overlap between predicted target genes of candidate miRNAs associated with immune markers and genes determining the blood immune response markers. First, principal component regression analysis showed that plasma levels of circulating miRNAs were significantly associated with red blood cell, granulocyte, and lymphocyte counts. Second, the cross-sectional analysis identified 210 miRNAs significantly associated (P < 2.82 × 10-5) with neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index. Further genetic look-ups showed that target genes of seven identified miRNAs (miR-1233-3p, miR-149-3p, miR-150-5p, miR-342-3p, miR-34b-3p, miR-4644, and miR-7106-5p) were also previously linked to NLR and PLR markers. Collectively, our study suggests several circulating miRNAs that regulate the innate and adaptive immune systems, providing insight into the pathogenesis of miRNAs in immune-related diseases and paving the way for future clinical applications.

Circulating microRNA Panel for Prediction of Recurrence and Survival in Early-Stage Lung Adenocarcinoma

Early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients remain at substantial risk for recurrence and disease-related death, highlighting the unmet need of biomarkers for the assessment and identification of those in an early stage who would likely benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. To identify circulating miRNAs useful for predicting recurrence in early-stage LUAD, we performed miRNA microarray analysis with pools of pretreatment plasma samples from patients with stage I LUAD who developed recurrence or remained recurrence-free during the follow-up period. Subsequent validation in 85 patients with stage I LUAD resulted in the development of a circulating miRNA panel comprising miR-23a-3p, miR-320c, and miR-125b-5p and yielding an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.776 in predicting recurrence. Furthermore, the three-miRNA panel yielded an AUC of 0.804, with a sensitivity of 45.8% at 95% specificity in the independent test set of 57 stage I and II LUAD patients. The miRNA panel score was a significant and independent factor for predicting disease-free survival (p < 0.001, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.51-4.22) and overall survival (p = 0.001, HR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.17-1.94). This circulating miRNA panel is a useful noninvasive tool to stratify early-stage LUAD patients and determine an appropriate treatment plan with maximal efficacy.

ASSESSMENT OF CIRCULATING miRNA LEVELS IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS DEPENDING ON CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND CHEMOTHERAPY

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC) stands out as the most prevalent cancer in women. The levels of miRNA expression before and after chemotherapy are considered a potential indicator for the prognosis of the disease.

AIM

To study blood plasma miRNA levels in BC patients and to assess their correlation with the menopausal status, disease stage, and molecular BC subtype.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Blood plasma levels of 6 miRNAs (miRNA-25, miRNA-27, miRNA-155, miRNA-200, miRNA-335, and miRNA-497) were studied in 70 BC patients and 18 healthy individuals using RT-PCR.

RESULTS

miRNA-25, miRNA-335, and miRNA-497 levels were significantly higher in BC patients, while a tendency toward a decrease in the miRNA-27 and miRNA-335 levels in premenopausal patients and high miRNA-27 levels in menopausal patients was established. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, a decrease in the miRNA-25 and miRNA-335 levels was registered.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that miRNA-25, miRNA-27, miRNA-335, and miRNA-497 deserve attention as markers for assessing the efficacy of treatment of BC patients.

Circulating serum microRNAs as biomarkers of drug resistance in multiple myeloma patients treated with bortezomib-based regimens - pilot study

Despite advances in multiple myeloma (MM) treatment, drug resistance remains a clinical challenge. We aimed to develop a prognostic model for bortezomib resistance based on miRNA expression profiling. The study included 40 previously untreated MM patients receiving bortezomib-based regimens (20 treatment-sensitive, 20 resistant). Pretreatment venous blood samples were analyzed for miRNA expression. Differential expression analysis revealed upregulated miR-27b-3p (FC 1.45, p = 0.017) and let-7b-5p (FC 1.44, p = 0.025) in the resistant group. Univariate analysis identified let-7b-5p (OR 3.17, 95%CI: 1.19-11.4, p = 0.04) and miR-27b-3p (OR 4.73, 95%CI: 1.4-26.6, p = 0.036) as risk factors for resistance. The final multivariate model included miR-27b-3p (OR 23.1, 95% CI: 2.8-452, p = 0.015), let-7b-5p (OR 4.38, 95% CI: 1.28-22.2, p = 0.038), and miR-103a-3p (OR 15.3, 95% CI: 1.33-351, p = 0.049). These miRNAs may serve as biomarkers of treatment response in MM. However, external validation is necessary to confirm the clinical utility of our model.

microRNA blood signature for localized radiation injury

A radiological accident, whether from industrial, medical, or malicious origin, may result in localized exposure to high doses of ionizing radiations, leading to the development of local radiation injury (LRI), that may evolve toward deep ulceration and necrosis of the skin and underlying tissues. Early diagnosis is therefore crucial to facilitate identification and management of LRI victims. Circulating microRNAs (miRNA) have been studied as potential diagnostic biomarkers of several diseases including hematological defects following whole-body irradiation (WBI). This study aims to identify a blood miRNA signature associated with LRI in a preclinical C57BL/6J mouse model of hindlimb irradiation using different 10-MV X-ray doses that lead to injuries of different severities. To this end, we first performed broad-spectrum plasma miRNA profiling, followed by a targeted validation step, on two independent animal cohorts. Using a multivariate sparse partial least square discriminant analysis, we identified a panel of eight circulating miRNAs able to segregate mice according to LRI severity. Interestingly, these miRNAs were previously associated with WBI (miR-150-5p, miR-342-3p, miR-146a-5p), inflammation (miR-18a-5p, miR-148b-3p, miR-532-5p) and skin diseases (miR-139-5p, miR-195-5p). Our results suggest the use of circulating miRNAs as suitable molecular biomarkers for LRI prognosis and diagnosis.

Circulating microRNA expression and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adolescents with severe obesity

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver diseases in children and adolescents. NAFLD ranges in severity from isolated hepatic steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), wherein hepatocellular inflammation and/or fibrosis coexist with steatosis. Circulating microRNA (miRNA) levels have been suggested to be altered in NAFLD, but the extent to which miRNA are related to NAFLD features remains unknown. This analysis tested the hypothesis that plasma miRNAs are significantly associated with histological features of NAFLD in adolescents.

AIM

To investigate the relationship between plasma miRNA expression and NAFLD features among adolescents with NAFLD.

METHODS

This study included 81 adolescents diagnosed with NAFLD and 54 adolescents without NAFLD from the Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery study. Intra-operative core liver biopsies were collected from participants and used to characterize histological features of NAFLD. Plasma samples were collected during surgery for miRNA profiling. A total of 843 plasma miRNAs were profiled using the HTG EdgeSeq platform. We examined associations of plasma miRNAs and NAFLD features using logistic regression after adjusting for age, sex, race, and other key covariates. Ingenuity Pathways Analysis was used to identify biological functions of miRNAs that were associated with multiple histological features of NAFLD.

RESULTS

We identified 16 upregulated plasma miRNAs, including miR-193a-5p and miR-193b-5p, and 22 downregulated plasma miRNAs, including miR-1282 and miR-6734-5p, in adolescents with NAFLD. Moreover, 52, 16, 15, and 9 plasma miRNAs were associated with NASH, fibrosis, ballooning degeneration, and lobular inflammation, respectively. Collectively, 16 miRNAs were associated with two or more histological features of NAFLD. Among those miRNAs, miR-411-5p was downregulated in NASH, ballooning, and fibrosis, while miR-122-5p, miR-1343-5p, miR-193a-5p, miR-193b-5p, and miR-7845-5p were consistently and positively associated with all histological features of NAFLD. Pathway analysis revealed that most common pathways of miRNAs associated with multiple NAFLD features have been associated with tumor progression, while we also identified linkages between miR-122-5p and hepatitis C virus and between miR-199b-5p and chronic hepatitis B.

CONCLUSION

Plasma miRNAs were associated with NAFLD features in adolescent with severe obesity. Larger studies with more heterogeneous NAFLD phenotypes are needed to evaluate miRNAs as potential biomarkers of NAFLD.

Circulating microRNA miR-425-5p Associated with Brain White Matter Lesions and Inflammatory Processes

White matter lesions (WML) emerge as a consequence of vascular injuries in the brain. While they are commonly observed in aging, associations have been established with neurodegenerative and neurological disorders such as dementia or stroke. Despite substantial research efforts, biological mechanisms are incomplete and biomarkers indicating WMLs are lacking. Utilizing data from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP), our objective was to identify plasma-circulating micro-RNAs (miRNAs) associated with WMLs, thus providing a foundation for a comprehensive biological model and further research. In linear regression models, direct association and moderating factors were analyzed. In 648 individuals, we identified hsa-miR-425-5p as directly associated with WMLs. In subsequent analyses, hsa-miR-425-5p was found to regulate various genes associated with WMLs with particular emphasis on the SH3PXD2A gene. Furthermore, miR-425-5p was found to be involved in immunological processes. In addition, noteworthy miRNAs associated with WMLs were identified, primarily moderated by the factors of sex or smoking status. All identified miRNAs exhibited a strong over-representation in neurodegenerative and neurological diseases. We introduced hsa-miR-425-5p as a promising candidate in WML research probably involved in immunological processes. Mir-425-5p holds the potential as a biomarker of WMLs, shedding light on potential mechanisms and pathways in vascular dementia.

Circulating isomiRs May Be Superior Biomarkers Compared to Their Corresponding miRNAs: A Pilot Biomarker Study of Using isomiR-Ome to Detect Coronary Calcium-Based Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with NAFLD

Circulating miRNAs are increasingly being considered as biomarkers in various medical contexts, but the value of analyzing isomiRs (isoforms of canonical miRNA sequences) has not frequently been assessed. Here we hypothesize that an in-depth analysis of the full circulating miRNA landscape could identify specific isomiRs that are stronger biomarkers, compared to their corresponding miRNA, for identifying increased CV risk in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-a clinical unmet need. Plasma miRNAs were sequenced with next-generation sequencing (NGS). Liver fat content was measured with magnetic-resonance spectrometry (MRS); CV risk was determined, beyond using traditional biomarkers, by a CT-based measurement of coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and the calculation of a CAC score-based CV-risk percentile (CAC-CV%). This pilot study included n = 13 patients, age > 45 years, with an MRS-measured liver fat content of ≥5% (wt/wt), and free of overt CVD. NGS identified 1103 miRNAs and 404,022 different isomiRs, of which 280 (25%) and 1418 (0.35%), respectively, passed an abundance threshold. Eighteen (sixteen/two) circulating miRNAs correlated positively/negatively, respectively, with CAC-CV%, nine of which also significantly discriminated between high/low CV risk through ROC-AUC analysis. IsomiR-ome analyses uncovered 67 isomiRs highly correlated (R ≥ 0.55) with CAC-CV%. Specific isomiRs of miRNAs 101-3p, 144-3p, 421, and 484 exhibited stronger associations with CAC-CV% compared to their corresponding miRNA. Additionally, while miRNAs 140-3p, 223-3p, 30e-5p, and 342-3p did not correlate with CAC-CV%, specific isomiRs with altered seed sequences exhibited a strong correlation with coronary atherosclerosis burden. Their predicted isomiRs-specific targets were uniquely enriched (compared to their canonical miRNA sequence) in CV Disease (CVD)-related pathways. Two of the isomiRs exhibited discriminative ROC-AUC, and another two showed a correlation with reverse cholesterol transport from cholesterol-loaded macrophages to ApoB-depleted plasma. In summary, we propose a pipeline for exploring circulating isomiR-ome as an approach to uncover novel and strong CVD biomarkers.

Investigating the Differential Circulating microRNA Expression in Adolescent Females with Severe Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Proof-of-Concept Observational Clinical Study

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is the most common form of three-dimensional spinal disorder in adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18 years of age, most commonly diagnosed in young women when severe disease occurs. Patients with AIS are characterized by abnormal skeletal growth and reduced bone mineral density. The etiology of AIS is thought to be multifactorial, involving both environmental and genetic factors, but to date, it is still unknown. Therefore, it is crucial to further investigate the molecular pathogenesis of AIS and to identify biomarkers useful for predicting curve progression. In this perspective, the relative abundance of a panel of microRNAs (miRNAs) was analyzed in the plasma of 20 AIS patients and 10 healthy controls (HC). The data revealed a significant group of circulating miRNAs dysregulated in AIS patients compared to HC. Further bioinformatic analyses evidenced a more restricted expression of some miRNAs exclusively in severe AIS females. These include some members of the miR-30 family, which are considered promising regulators for treating bone diseases. We demonstrated circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) from severe AIS females contained miR-30 family members and decreased the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. Proteomic analysis of EVs highlighted the expression of proteins associated with orthopedic disease. This study provides preliminary evidence of a miRNAs signature potentially associated with severe female AIS and suggests the corresponding vesicular component may affect cellular mechanisms crucial in AIS, opening the scenario for in-depth studies on prognostic differences related to gender and grade.

Heterogenous circulating miRNA changes in ME/CFS converge on a unified cluster of target genes: A computational analysis

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a debilitating, multisystem disease of unknown mechanism, with a currently ongoing search for its endocrine mediators. Circulating microRNAs (miRNA) are a promising candidate for such a mediator and have been reported as significantly different in the patient population versus healthy controls by multiple studies. None of these studies, however, agree with each other on which specific miRNA are under- or over-expressed. This discrepancy is the subject of the computational study presented here, in which a deep dive into the predicted gene targets and their functional interactions is conducted, revealing that the aberrant circulating miRNAs in ME/CFS, although different between patients, seem to mainly target the same specific set of genes (p ≈ 0.0018), which are very functionally related to each other (p ≲ 0.0001). Further analysis of these functional relations, based on directional pathway information, points to impairments in exercise hyperemia, angiogenic adaptations to hypoxia, antioxidant defenses, and TGF-β signaling, as well as a shift towards mitochondrial fission, corroborating and explaining previous direct observations in ME/CFS. Many transcription factors and epigenetic modulators are implicated as well, with currently uncertain downstream combinatory effects. As the results show significant similarity to previous research on latent herpesvirus involvement in ME/CFS, the possibility of a herpesvirus origin of these miRNA changes is also explored through further computational analysis and literature review, showing that 8 out of the 10 most central miRNAs analyzed are known to be upregulated by various herpesviruses. In total, the results establish an appreciable and possibly central role for circulating microRNAs in ME/CFS etiology that merits further experimental research.

Regulation of Circulating miR-342-3p Alleviates the Radiation-Induced Immune System Injury

Ionizing radiation in space, radiation devices or nuclear disasters are major threats to human health and public security. Expanding countermeasures for dealing with accidental or occupational radiation exposure is crucial for the protection of radiation injuries. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising radiation biomarkers in recent years. However, the origin, distribution and functions of radiosensitive circulating miRNAs remain unclear, which obstructs their clinical applications in the future. In this study, we found that mmu-miR-342-3p (miR-342) in mouse serum presents a stable and significant decrease after X-ray total-body irradiation (TBI). Focusing on this miRNA, we investigated the influences of circulating miR-342 on the radiation-induced injury. Through tail vein injection of Cy5-labeled synthetic miR-342, we found the exogenous miR-342-Cy5 was mainly enriched in metabolic and immune organs. Besides, the bioinformatic analysis predicted that miR-342 might involve in immune-related processes or pathways. Further, mice were tail vein injected with synthetic miR-342 mimetics (Ago-miR-342) after irradiation to upregulate the level of miR-342 in circulating blood. The results showed that the upregulation of circulating miR-342 alleviated the radiation-induced depletion of CD3+CD4+ T lymphocytes and influenced the levels of IL-2 and IL-6 in irradiated mice. Moreover, the injection of Ago-miR-342 improved the survival rates of mice with acute radiation injury. Our findings demonstrate that upregulation of circulating miR-342 alleviates the radiation-induced immune system injury, which provides us new insights into the functions of circulating miRNAs and the prospect as the targets for mitigation of radiation injuries.

Identification and validation of reference genes of circulating microRNAs for use as control in gestational toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis causes serious harm to the fetus, as tachyzoite dissemination, during pregnancy in women developing the primo-infection. The microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs, which have regulatory roles in cells by silencing messenger RNA. Circulating miRNA are promising biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of numerous diseases. The miRNAs levels are estimated by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), however, the relative quantification of each miRNA expression requires proper normalization methods using endogenous miRNAs as control. This study analyzed the expression of three endogenous miRNAs (miR-484, miR -423-3p and miR-26b-5p) for use as normalizers in future studies of target miRNAs for gestational toxoplasmosis (GT). A total of 32 plasma samples were used in all assays divided in 21 from women with GT and 11 from healthy women. The stability of each endogenous miRNA was evaluated by the algorithm methods RefFinder that included GeNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper and comparative delta-CT programs. The miR-484 was the most stably gene, and equivalently expressed in GT and NC groups. These results contribute to future studies of target miRNAs in clinical samples of women with gestational toxoplasmosis.

Longitudinal dynamics of circulating miRNAs in a swine model of familial hypercholesterolemia during early atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a complex progressive disease involving intertwined biological mechanisms. We aimed to identify miRNA expression dynamics at the early stages of atherosclerosis using a large swine model (Wisconsin Miniature Swine, WMS). A total of 18 female pigs; 9 familial hypercholesterolemic (WMS-FH) and 9 normal control swine (WMS-N) were studied. miRNA sequencing was performed on plasma cell-free RNA at 3, 6, and 9 months of age. RT-qPCR validated DE miRNAs in a new cohort of animals (n = 30) with both sexes. Gene ontology and mRNA targets for DE miRNAs were identified. In vivo multimodality imaging and histopathology were performed to document the presence of atherosclerosis at termination. 20, 19, and 9 miRNAs were significantly DE between the groups at months 3, 6, and 9, respectively. Most DE miRNAs and their target genes are involved in human atherosclerosis development. Coronary atherosclerosis was documented in 7/9 WMS-FH pigs. Control animals had no lesions. miR-138, miR-152, miR-190a, and miR-196a showed a significant diagnostic power at month 3, whereas miR-486, miR-126-3p, miR-335, and miR-423-5p were of significant diagnostic power at month 9. In conclusion, specific DE miRNAs with significant discriminatory power may be promising biomarkers for the early detection of coronary atherosclerosis.

Circulating miRNAs signature on breast cancer: the MCC-Spain project

PURPOSE

To build models combining circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) able to identify women with breast cancer as well as different types of breast cancer, when comparing with controls without breast cancer.

METHOD

miRNAs analysis was performed in two phases: screening phase, with a total n = 40 (10 controls and 30 BC cases) analyzed by Next Generation Sequencing, and validation phase, which included 131 controls and 269 cases. For this second phase, the miRNAs were selected combining the screening phase results and a revision of the literature. They were quantified using RT-PCR. Models were built using logistic regression with LASSO penalization.

RESULTS

The model for all cases included seven miRNAs (miR-423-3p, miR-139-5p, miR-324-5p, miR-1299, miR-101-3p, miR-186-5p and miR-29a-3p); which had an area under the ROC curve of 0.73. The model for cases diagnosed via screening only took in one miRNA (miR-101-3p); the area under the ROC curve was 0.63. The model for disease-free cases in the follow-up had five miRNAs (miR-101-3p, miR-186-5p, miR-423-3p, miR-142-3p and miR-1299) and the area under the ROC curve was 0.73. Finally, the model for cases with active disease in the follow-up contained six miRNAs (miR-101-3p, miR-423-3p, miR-139-5p, miR-1307-3p, miR-331-3p and miR-21-3p) and its area under the ROC curve was 0.82.

CONCLUSION

We present four models involving eleven miRNAs to differentiate healthy controls from different types of BC cases. Our models scarcely overlap with those previously reported.

Circulating microRNAs and Cytokines as Prognostic Biomarkers for Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiac Injury and for Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Exercise Intervention

PURPOSE

To define a set of biomarkers that can be used to identify patients at high risk of developing late doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiac morbidity with the goal of focused monitoring and early interventions.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Mice received phosphate buffered saline or DOX 2.5 mg/kg 2x/week for 2 weeks. Blood samples were obtained before and after therapy for quantification of miRNAs (6 and 24 hours), cytokines (24 hours), and troponin (24 hours, 4 and 6 weeks). Cardiac function was evaluated using echocardiography before and 24 hours after therapy. To assess the effectiveness of exercise intervention in preventing DOX-induced cardiotoxicity blood samples were collected from mice treated with DOX or DOX + exercise. Plasma samples from 13 DOX-treated patients with sarcoma were also evaluated before and 24 hours after therapy.

RESULTS

Elevations in plasma miRNA-1, miRNA-499 and IL1α, IL1β, and IL6 were seen in DOX-treated mice with decreased ejection fraction and fractional shortening 24 hours after DOX therapy. Troponin levels were not elevated until 4 weeks after therapy. In mice treated with exercise during DOX, there was no elevation in these biomarkers and no change in cardiac function. Elevations in these biomarkers were seen in 12 of 13 patients with sarcoma treated with DOX.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings define a potential set of biomarkers to identify and predict patients at risk for developing acute and late cardiovascular diseases with the goal of focused monitoring and early intervention. Further studies are needed to confirm the predictive value of these biomarkers in late cardiotoxicity.

Integration of circulating microRNAs and transcriptome signatures identifies early-pregnancy biomarkers of preeclampsia

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in the pathobiology of preeclampsia, a common hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. In a nested matched case-control cohort within the Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDAART), we previously identified peripheral blood mRNA signatures related to preeclampsia and vitamin D status (≤30 ng/mL) during gestation from 10 to 18 weeks, using differential expression analysis.

METHODS

Using quantitative PCR arrays, we conducted profiling of circulating miRNAs at 10-18 weeks of gestation in the same VDAART cohort to identify differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs associated with preeclampsia and vitamin D status. For the validation of the expression of circulating miRNA signatures in the placenta, the HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cell line was used. Targets of circulating miRNA signatures in the preeclampsia mRNA signatures were identified by consensus ranking of miRNA-target prediction scores from four sources. The connected component of target signatures was identified by mapping to the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and hub targets were determined. As experimental validation, we examined the gene and protein expression of IGF1R, one of the key hub genes, as a target of the DE miRNA, miR-182-5p, in response to a miR-182-5p mimic in HTR-8/SVneo cells.

RESULTS

Pregnant women with preeclampsia had 16 circulating DE miRNAs relative to normal pregnancy controls that were also DE under vitamin D insufficiency (9/16 = 56% upregulated, FDR < .05). Thirteen miRNAs (13/16 = 81.3%) were detected in HTR-8/SVneo cells. Overall, 16 DE miRNAs had 122 targets, of which 87 were unique. Network analysis demonstrated that the 32 targets of DE miRNA signatures created a connected subnetwork in the preeclampsia module with CXCL8, CXCL10, CD274, MMP9 and IGF1R having the highest connectivity and centrality degree. In an in vitro validation experiment, the introduction of an hsa-miR-182-5p mimic resulted in significant reduction of its target IGF1R gene and protein expression within HTR-8/SVneo cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The integration of the circulating DE miRNA and mRNA signatures associated preeclampsia added additional insights into the subclinical molecular signature of preeclampsia. Our systems and network biology approach revealed several biological pathways, including IGF-1, that may play a role in the early pathophysiology of preeclampsia. These pathways and signatures also denote potential biomarkers for the early stages of preeclampsia and suggest possible preventive measures.

Circulating miRNAs drive personalized medicine based on subgroup classification in myasthenia gravis patients

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a classic autoimmune neuromuscular disease with strong clinical heterogeneity. The concept of subgroup classification was proposed to guide the precise treatment of MG. Subgroups based on serum antibodies and clinical features include ocular MG, early-onset MG with AchR antibodies, late-onset MG with AchR antibodies, thymoma-associated MG, MuSK-associated MG, LRP4-associated MG, and seronegative MG. However, reliable objective biomarkers are still needed to reflect the individualized response to therapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules which can specifically bind to target genes and regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, and then influence celluar biological processes. MiRNAs play an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including MG. Several studies on circulating miRNAs in MG have been reported. However, there is rare systematic review to summarize the differences of these miRNAs in different subgroups of MG. Here, we summarize the potential role of circulating miRNAs in different subgroups of MG to promote personalized medicine.

Circulating microRNAs can predict chemotherapy-induced toxicities in patients being treated for primary breast cancer

PURPOSE

Prescribing NAC for breast cancer is a pragmatic treatment strategy for several reasons; however, certain patients suffer chemotherapy-induced toxicities. Unfortunately, identifying patients at risk of toxicity often proves challenging. MiRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules which modulate genetic expression. The aim of this study was to determine whether circulating miRNAs are sensitive biomarkers that can identify the patients likely to suffer treatment-related toxicities to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for primary breast cancer.

METHODS

This secondary exploratory from the prospective, multicentre translational research trial (CTRIAL ICORG10/11-NCT01722851) recruited 101 patients treated with NAC for breast cancer, from eight treatment sites across Ireland. A predetermined five miRNAs panel was quantified using RQ-PCR from patient bloods at diagnosis. MiRNA expression was correlated with chemotherapy-induced toxicities. Regression analyses was performed using SPSS v26.0.

RESULTS

One hundred and one patients with median age of 55 years were recruited (range: 25-76). The mean tumour size was 36 mm and 60.4% had nodal involvement (n = 61) Overall, 33.7% of patients developed peripheral neuropathies (n = 34), 28.7% developed neutropenia (n = 29), and 5.9% developed anaemia (n = 6). Reduced miR-195 predicted patients likely to develop neutropenia (P = 0.048), while increased miR-10b predicted those likely to develop anaemia (P = 0.049). Increased miR-145 predicted those experiencing nausea and vomiting (P = 0.019), while decreased miR-21 predicted the development of mucositis (P = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

This is the first study which illustrates the value of measuring circulatory miRNA to predict patient-specific toxicities to NAC. These results support the ideology that circulatory miRNAs are biomarkers with utility in predicting chemotherapy toxicity as well as treatment response.

Machine-Learning-Based Single-Molecule Quantification of Circulating MicroRNA Mixtures

MicroRNAs (miRs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression and are emerging as powerful indicators of diseases. MiRs are secreted in blood plasma and thus may report on systemic aberrations at an early stage via liquid biopsy analysis. We present a method for multiplexed single-molecule detection and quantification of a selected panel of miRs. The proposed assay does not depend on sequencing, requires less than 1 mL of blood, and provides fast results by direct analysis of native, unamplified miRs. This is enabled by a novel combination of compact spectral imaging and a machine learning-based detection scheme that allows simultaneous multiplexed classification of multiple miR targets per sample. The proposed end-to-end pipeline is extremely time efficient and cost-effective. We benchmark our method with synthetic mixtures of three target miRs, showcasing the ability to quantify and distinguish subtle ratio changes between miR targets.

Circulating exosomal miRNAs as a promising diagnostic biomarker in cancer

Cancer belongs to multifactorial diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and proliferation of abnormal cells. Breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and colorectal cancer are the most frequently diagnosed malignancies with a high mortality rate. These carcinomas typically contain multiple genetically distinct subpopulations of tumor cells leading to tumor heterogeneity, which promotes the aggressiveness of the disease. Early diagnosis is necessary to increase patient progression-free survival. Particularly, miRNAs present in exosomes derived from tumors represent potential biomarkers suitable for early cancer diagnosis. Identification of miRNAs by liquid biopsy enables a personalized approach with the subsequent better clinical management of patients. This review article highlights the potential of circulating exosomal miRNAs in early breast, non-small cell lung, and colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Circulating microRNA Panels for Detection of Liver Cancers and Liver-Metastasizing Primary Cancers

Malignant liver tumors, including primary malignant liver tumors and liver metastases, are among the most frequent malignancies worldwide. The disease carries a poor prognosis and poor overall survival, particularly in cases involving liver metastases. Consequently, the early detection and precise differentiation of malignant liver tumors are of paramount importance for making informed decisions regarding patient treatment. Significant research efforts are currently directed towards the development of diagnostic tools for different types of cancer using minimally invasive techniques. A prominent area of focus within this research is the evaluation of circulating microRNA, for which dysregulated expression is well documented in different cancers. Combining microRNAs in panels using serum or plasma samples derived from blood holds great promise for better sensitivity and specificity for detection of certain types of cancer.

Circulating miRNAs as Noninvasive Biomarkers for PDAC Diagnosis and Prognosis in Mexico

Among malignant neoplasms, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has one of the highest fatality rates due to its late detection. Therefore, it is essential to discover a noninvasive, early, specific, and sensitive diagnostic method. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are attractive biomarkers because they are accessible, highly specific, and sensitive. It is crucial to find miRNAs that could be used as possible biomarkers because PDAC is the eighth most common cause of cancer death in Mexico. With the help of microRNA microarrays, differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were found in PDAC tissues. The presence of these DEmiRNAs in the plasma of Mexican patients with PDAC was determined using RT-qPCR. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the diagnostic capacity of these DEmiRNAs. Gene Expression Omnibus datasets (GEO) were employed to verify our results. The Prisma V8 statistical analysis program was used. Four DEmiRNAs in plasma from PDAC patients and microarray tissues were found. Serum samples from patients with PDAC were used to validate their overexpression in GEO databases. We discovered a new panel of the two miRNAs miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p that could be used to diagnose PDAC, and when miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p were overexpressed, survival rates decreased. Therefore, miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p might be employed as noninvasive indicators for the diagnosis and survival of PDAC in Mexican patients.

Evaluating the causal association between microRNAs and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Currently, miRNAs are involved in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and identifying circulating miRNAs that are causally associated with ALS risk as biomarkers is imperative.

METHODS

We performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization study to evaluate the causal relationship between miRNAs and ALS. Our analysis was conducted using summary statistics from miRNA expression quantitative loci (eQTL) data of the Framingham Heart Study and ALS genome-wide association studies data. Another independent miRNA data was used to further validate.

RESULTS

We identified eight unique miRNAs that were causally associated with ALS risk. Using expression data of miRNAs from an independent study, we validated three high-confidence miRNAs, namely hsa-miR-27b-3p, hsa-miR-139-5p, and hsa-miR-152-3p, which might have a potential causal effect on ALS risk.

CONCLUSION

We suggested that higher levels of hsa-miR-27b-3p and hsa-miR-139-5p had protective effects on ALS, whereas higher levels of hsa-miR-152-3p might act as a risk factor for ALS. The analytical framework presented in this study helps to understand the role of miRNAs in the development of ALS and to identify the biomarkers for ALS risk.

Investigation of miR-26a-5p and miR-19a-3p expression levels in angiographically confirmed coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs have been found to have an essential role in cardiovascular diseases. In previous experiments, the changed expressions of miR-26a-5p and miR-19a-3p were confirmed in patients with severe coronary atherosclerosis by miRNA microarrays. However, the role of two miRNAs in coronary artery diseases (CAD) still needs to be investigated further. Our current study aimed to analyse two miRNAs in angiographically confirmed CAD and non-CAD with insignificant coronary stenosis. This study aimed to identify the potential diagnostic value of circulating miRNA with CAD.

METHODS

The CAD patients (n = 50) and non-CAD controls (n = 43) were studied. miRNAs (miR-26a-5p and miR-19a-3p) were quantified by TaqMan miRNA assays using real-time PCR. We subsequently assessed the diagnostic value of the miRNAs and correlations of miRNA with clinical parameters. Target prediction tools were utilised to identify miRNA target genes.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-26a-5p was significantly increased in CAD compared to non-CAD controls (p < 0.05). Tertile groups were formed according to the expression levels of miRNAs, and high expression tertile (T3) was compared with low expression tertile (T1). It was found that CAD presence was more prevalent in T3 of miR-26a-5p, and the frequency of diabetes was higher in T3 of miR-19a-3p. There were significant correlations between miRNAs and diabetes risk factors such as HbA1c, glucose levels, and BMI (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings show that miR-26a-5p expression is altered in CAD presence while miR-19a-3p expression is different in diabetes. Both miRNAs are closely related to risk factors of CAD, therefore, could be therapeutic targets for CAD treatment.

Circulating microRNAs predict recurrence and death following venous thromboembolism

BACKGROUND

Recurrent events frequently occur after venous thromboembolism (VTE) and remain difficult to predict based on established genetic, clinical, and proteomic contributors. The role of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) has yet to be explored in detail.

OBJECTIVES

To identify circulating miRNAs predictive of recurrent VTE or death, and to interpret their mechanistic involvement.

METHODS

Data from 181 participants of a cohort study of acute VTE and 302 individuals with a history of VTE from a population-based cohort were investigated. Next-generation sequencing was performed on EDTA plasma samples to detect circulating miRNAs. The endpoint of interest was recurrent VTE or death. Penalized regression was applied to identify an outcome-relevant miRNA signature, and results were validated in the population-based cohort. The involvement of miRNAs in coregulatory networks was assessed using principal component analysis, and the associated clinical and molecular phenotypes were investigated. Mechanistic insights were obtained from target gene and pathway enrichment analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 1950 miRNAs were detected across cohorts after postprocessing. In the discovery cohort, 50 miRNAs were associated with recurrent VTE or death (cross-validated C-index, 0.65). A weighted miRNA score predicted outcome over an 8-year follow-up period (HRSD, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.98-2.88; P < .0001). The independent validation cohort validated 20 miRNAs (ORSD for score, 3.47; 95% CI, 2.37-5.07; P < .0001; cross-validated-area under the curve, 0.61). Principal component analysis revealed 5 miRNA networks with distinct relationships to clinical phenotype and outcome. Mapping of target genes indicated regulation via transcription factors and kinases involved in signaling pathways associated with fibrinolysis.

CONCLUSION

Circulating miRNAs predicted the risk of recurrence or death after VTE over several years, both in the acute and chronic phases.

Identification of Potential miRNA Biomarkers to Detect Hydrocortisone Administration in Horses

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are stable in bodily fluids and are potential biomarkers of various diseases and physiological states. Although several studies have been conducted on humans to detect drug doping by miRNAs, research on drugs and miRNAs in horses is limited. In this study, circulating miRNAs in horses after hydrocortisone administration were profiled and variations in miRNAs affected by hydrocortisone administration during endogenous hydrocortisone elevation were examined. The miRNAs were extracted from thoroughbred horse plasma before and after hydrocortisone administration and subjected to small RNA sequencing and reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). RT-qPCR validation was performed for the 20 miRNAs that were most affected by hydrocortisone administration. The effects of elevated endogenous hydrocortisone levels due to exercise and adrenocorticotropic hormone administration were also confirmed. The validation results showed that approximately half of the miRNAs showed the same significant differences as those obtained using small RNA sequencing. Among the twenty miRNAs, two novel miRNAs and miR-133a were found to vary differently between exogenous hydrocortisone administration and endogenous hydrocortisone elevation. This study provides basic knowledge regarding the circulating miRNA profile of horses after hydrocortisone administration and identifies three miRNAs that could potentially be used as biomarkers to detect hydrocortisone administration.

Microvesicle-associated and circulating microRNAs in diabetic dyslipidemia: miR-218, miR-132, miR-143, and miR-21, miR-122, miR-155 have biomarker potential

BACKGROUND

Circulating MicroRNAs (miRNAs) carried by microvesicles (MVs) have various physiological and pathological functions by post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression being considered markers for many diseases including diabetes and dyslipidemia. We aimed to identify new common miRNAs both in MVs and plasma that could be predictive biomarkers for diabetic dyslipidemia evolution.

METHODS

For this purpose, plasma from 63 participants in the study (17 type 2 diabetic patients, 17 patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia, 14 patients with dyslipidemia alone and 15 clinically healthy persons without diabetes or dyslipidemia) was used for the analysis of circulating cytokines, MVs, miRNAs and MV-associated miRNAs.

RESULTS

The results uncovered three miRNAs, miR-218, miR-132 and miR-143, whose expression was found to be significantly up-regulated in both circulating MVs and plasma from diabetic patients with dyslipidemia. These miRNAs showed significant correlations with important plasma markers, representative of this pathology. Thus, MV/plasma miR-218 was negatively correlated with the levels of erythrocyte MVs, plasma miR-132 was positively connected with MV miR-132 and negatively with uric acid and erythrocyte plasma levels, and plasma miR-143 was negatively related with creatinine levels and diastolic blood pressure. Also, three miRNAs common to MV and plasma, namely miR-21, miR-122, and miR-155, were identified to be down-regulated and up-regulated, respectively, in diabetic dyslipidemia. In addition, MV miR-21 was positively linked with cholesterol plasma levels and plasma miR-21 with TNFα plasma levels, MV miR-122 was negatively correlated with LDL-c levels and plasma miR-122 with creatinine and diastolic blood pressure and positively with MV miR-126 levels, MV miR-155 was positively associated with cholesterol and total MV levels and negatively with HDL-c levels, whereas plasma miR-155 was positively correlated with Il-1β plasma levels and total MV levels and negatively with MV miR-223 levels.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, miR-218, miR-132, miR-143, and miR-21, miR-122, miR-155 show potential as biomarkers for diabetic dyslipidemia, but there is a need for more in-depth studies. These findings bring new information regarding the molecular biomarkers specific to diabetic dyslipidemia and could have important implications for the treatment of patients affected by this pathology.

Plasma MicroRNAs Related to Metabolic Syndrome in Mexican Women

INTRODUCTION

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of abnormalities related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Circulating miRNAs (c-miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs associated with different phenotypes, some of them integrating the MetS. The aim of the study was to compare the c-miRNAs profile in plasma between women with MetS and controls and explore their possible association with dysregulation of metabolic pathways.

METHODS

The study was conducted in two phases. At the screening phase, miRNA composition in fasting plasma was compared between 8 participants with MetS and 10 healthy controls, using microarray technology. The validation phase included the analysis by qRT-PCR of 10 selected c-miRNAs in an independent sample (n = 29).

RESULTS

We found 21 c-miRNAs differentially expressed between cases and controls. The concentration in plasma of the c-miRNAs hsa-miR-1260a, hsa-miR-4514, and hsa-miR-4687-5p were also correlated with risk factors for CVD. Differences of hsa-miR-1260a between cases and controls were validated using qRT-PCR (fold-change = 7.0; p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

The signature of plasma c-miRNAs differed between women with MetS and controls. The identified miRNAs regulate pathways related to the MetS such as insulin resistance and adipokine activity. The role of c-miR-1260a in the MetS remains to be elucidated.

Evaluation of left ventricular dysfunction by three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography and bioinformatics analysis of circulating exosomal miRNA in obese patients

BACKGROUND

Obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and affects the human population. This study aimed to evaluate left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in obese patients with three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3D-STE) and investigate the possible related mechanisms at the exosomal miRNA level.

METHODS

In total, 43 participants (16 obese patients and 27 healthy volunteers) were enrolled. All subjects underwent full conventional echocardiography as well as 3D-STE. Characterization and high-throughput sequencing for the isolated circulating exosomes and the differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were screened for target gene prediction and enrichment analysis.

RESULTS

Obese patients had significantly lower global longitudinal strain (GLS) (-20.80%±3.10% vs. -14.77%±2.05%, P < 0.001), global circumferential strain (GCS) (-31.63%±3.89% vs. -25.35%±5.66%, P = 0.001), global radial strain (GRS) (43.21%±4.89% vs. 33.38%±3.47%, P < 0.001), and indexed LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) [38.07mL/m2 (27.82mL/m2-9.57mL/m2) vs. 24.79mL/m2 (21.97mL/m2-30.73mL/m2), P = 0.002] than healthy controls. GLS (ρ = 0.610, P < 0.001), GCS (ρ = 0.424, P = 0.005), and GRS (ρ = -0.656, P < 0.001) indicated a moderate relationship with body mass index (BMI). In obese patients, 33 exosomal miRNAs were up-regulated and 26 exosomal miRNAs were down-regulated when compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05). These DEMs possibly contribute to obesity-associated LV dysfunction through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Important miRNAs, including miR-101-3p, miR-140-3p, and miR-99a-5p, have clinical utility in predicting early obesity-related myocardial injury.

CONCLUSIONS

The global strain obtained from 3D-STE can sensitively detect the decrease in LV myocardial function in obese patients. Key miRNAs and pathways provide a new theoretical basis and targets of action for studying obesity-induced LV dysfunction.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

In accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of a clinical trial, this study does not include human health-related interventions. This study was carried out at the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University after obtaining institutional ethical approval (KYLL-2022-0556) and written informed consent from all participants.

OncoUroMiR: Circulating miRNAs for Detection and Discrimination of the Main Urological Cancers Using a ddPCR-Based Approach

The three most common genitourinary malignancies (prostate/kidney/bladder cancers) constitute a substantial proportion of all cancer cases, mainly in the elderly population. Early detection is key to maximizing the patients' survival, but the lack of highly accurate biomarkers that might be used through non-/minimally invasive methods has impaired progress in this domain. Herein, we sought to develop a minimally invasive test to detect and discriminate among those urological cancers based on miRNAs assessment through ddPCR. Plasma samples from 268 patients with renal cell (RCC; n = 119), bladder (BlCa; n = 73), and prostate (PCa; n = 76) carcinomas (UroCancer group), and 74 healthy donors were selected. Hsa-miR-126-3p, hsa-miR-141-3p, hsa-miR-153-5p, hsa-miR-155-5p, hsa-miR-182-5p, hsa-miR-205-5p, and hsa-miR-375-3p levels were assessed. UroCancer cases displayed significantly different circulating hsa-miR-182-5p/hsa-miR-375-3p levels compared to healthy donors. Importantly, the hsa-miR-155-5p/hsa-miR-375-3p panel detected RCC with a high specificity (80.54%) and accuracy (66.04%). Furthermore, the hsa-miR-126-3p/hsa-miR-375-3p panel identified BlCa with a 94.87% specificity and 76.45% NPV whereas higher hsa-miR-126-3p levels were found in PCa patients. We concluded that plasma-derived miRNAs can identify and discriminate among the main genitourinary cancers, with high analytical performance. Although validation in a larger cohort is mandatory, these findings demonstrate that circulating miRNA assessment by ddPCR might provide a new approach for early detection and risk stratification of the most common urological cancers.

Circulating miRNA Expression Is Inversely Correlated with Tumor Tissue or Sentinel Lymph Nodes in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Early Breast Cancer Patients

The deregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is associated with the various steps of the metastatic process. In addition, circulating miRNAs are remarkably stable in peripheral blood, making them ideal noninvasive biomarkers for disease diagnosis. Here, we performed a proof-of-principle study to determine whether tumor-tissue-derived miRNAs are traceable to plasma in ER-positive early breast cancer patients. We performed RNA-sequencing on 30 patients for whom plasma, sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) and tumor tissue were available. We carried out differential expression, gene ontology and enrichment analyses. Our results show that circulating miRNAs are inversely expressed compared with tumor tissue or SLNs obtained from the same patients. Our differential expression analysis shows the overall downregulation of circulating miRNAs. However, the expression of miR-643a-3p and miR-223 was up-regulated in patients with positive SLNs. Furthermore, gene ontology analysis showed the significant enrichment of biological processes associated with the regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and transcriptional regulation commonly involved in the promotion of metastases. Our results suggest the potential role of several circulating miRNAs as surrogate markers of lymph node metastases in early breast cancer patients. Further preclinical and clinical studies are required to understand the biological significance of the most significant miRNAs and to validate our results in a larger cohort of patients.

Correlation between Circulating miR-16, miR-29a, miR-144 and miR-150, and the Radiotherapy Response and Survival of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Despite the success of current therapy concepts, patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) still have a very poor prognosis. Therefore, biological markers are urgently needed, which allow the assessment of prognosis, or prediction of the success of therapy or resistance in this disease. Circulating microRNAs (miRs) have potential as biomarkers for the prognosis and prediction of response to therapy in cancer patients. Based on recent evidence that circulating miR-16, miR-29a, miR-144 and miR-150 can be regulated by ionizing radiation, the concentration of these four miRs was assessed in the plasma of NSCLC patients at different time points of radiotherapy by digital droplet PCR (ddPCR). Furthermore, their impact on patients' prognosis was evaluated. The mean plasma levels of miR-16, miR-29a, miR-144 and miR-150 significantly differed intra- and inter-individually, and during therapy in NSCLC patients, but showed a strong positive correlation. The individual plasma levels of miR-16, miR-29a and miR-144 had prognostic value in NSCLC patients during or at the end of radiotherapy in Cox's regression models. NSCLC patients with low levels of these three miRs at the end of radiotherapy had the worst prognosis. However, miR-150 plasma levels and treatment-dependent changes were not predictive. In conclusion, circulating miR-16, miR-29a and miR-144, but not miR-150, have a prognostic value in NSCLC patients undergoing radiotherapy.

Circulating MicroRNAs as Biomarker for Vessel-Associated Retinal Diseases

INTRODUCTION

Vessel-associated retinal diseases are a major cause of blindness and severe visual impairment. The identification of appropriate biomarkers is of great importance to better anticipate disease progression and establish more targeted treatment options. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, single-stranded, noncoding ribonucleic acids that are involved in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression through hybridization with messenger RNA. The expression of certain miRNAs can be different in patients with pathological processes and can be used for the detection and differentiation of various diseases. In this study, we investigate to what extent previously in vitro identified miRNAs are present as cell-free circulating miRNAs in the serum and vitreous of human patients with and without vessel-associated retinal diseases.

METHODS

Relative quantification by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze miRNA expression in patients with vessel-associated retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and retinal vein occlusion compared with control patients.

RESULTS

In serum samples, miR-29a-3p and miR-192-5p showed increased expression in patients with neovascular AMD relative to control patients. Similarly, miR-335-5p, miR-192-5p, and miR-194-5p showed increased expression in serum from patients with proliferative DR. In vitreous samples, miR-100-5p was decreased in patients with proliferative DR. Differentially expressed miRNAs showed good diagnostic accuracy in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under the ROC curve analysis.

CONCLUSION

The miRNAs investigated in this study may have the potential to serve as biomarkers for vessel-associated retinal diseases. Combining multiple miRNAs may enhance the predictive power of the analysis.

Long-Term LDL-Apheresis Treatment and Dynamics of Circulating miRNAs in Patients with Severe Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Lipoprotein apheresis (LA) is a therapeutic option for patients with severe hypercholesterolemia who have persistently elevated LDL-C levels despite attempts at drug therapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), important posttranscriptional gene regulators, are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Our study aimed to monitor the dynamics of twenty preselected circulating miRNAs in patients under long-term apheresis treatment. Plasma samples from 12 FH patients (men = 50%, age = 55.3 ± 12.2 years; mean LA overall treatment time = 13.1 ± 7.8 years) were collected before each apheresis therapy every sixth month over the course of four years of treatment. Eight complete follow-up (FU) samples were measured in each patient. Dynamic changes in the relative quantity of 6 miRNAs (miR-92a, miR-21, miR-126, miR-122, miR-26a, and miR-185; all p < 0.04) during FU were identified. Overall apheresis treatment time influenced circulating miR-146a levels (p < 0.04). In LDLR mutation homozygotes (N = 5), compared to heterozygotes (N = 7), we found higher plasma levels of miR-181, miR-126, miR-155, and miR-92a (all p < 0.03). Treatment with PCSK9 inhibitors (N = 6) affected the plasma levels of 7 miRNAs (miR-126, miR-122, miR-26a, miR-155, miR-125a, miR-92a, and miR-27a; all p < 0.04). Long-term monitoring has shown that LA in patients with severe familial hypercholesterolemia influences plasma circulating miRNAs involved in endothelial dysfunction, cholesterol homeostasis, inflammation, and plaque development. The longer the treatment using LA, the better the miRNA milieu depicting the potential cardiovascular risk.

Assessing the Differential Abundance of Maternal Circulating MicroRNAs or Interferon-Stimulated Genes with Early Pregnancy

Interferon-stimulated genes (ISG) and microRNA (miRNA) present in maternal circulation have been reported to be diagnostic of pregnancy in cattle prior to day (d)30 of gestation. The objective of this study was to assess specific ISG and miRNA abundance on d 18 of gestation. Cattle were subjected to estrous synchronization and artificially inseminated to a single Angus sire. At time of insemination (d 0) and d 18 post-insemination, blood was collected and total RNA isolated. Differential abundance (DA) in specific ISG and miRNA between d 0 and d 18 samples in pregnant (n = 10) and open (n = 10) cows were assessed via RT-qPCR. The relative Ct values were normalized using abundance of cyclophilin or the geometric mean of specific miRNA for the ISG and miRNA genes of interest, respectively. The DA of the ISG were increased due to pregnancy (p < 0.05); however, there was no expected day of gestation by pregnancy interaction. Relative abundance of Bta-miR-16 increased on d18 regardless of pregnancy status (p < 0.05). None of the miRNA evaluated in this study were associated with pregnancy status. These data indicate that certain ISG may serve as early indicators of pregnancy in cattle, but abundance of the miRNA does not.

Gingival Tissue MiRNA Expression Profiling and an Analysis of Periodontitis-Specific Circulating MiRNAs

This study aimed to identify the microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with periodontitis (PD) in gingival tissues, and to evaluate the levels of these selected miRNAs in the saliva and blood plasma among participants with and without rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A genome-wide miRNA expression analysis in 16 gingival tissue samples revealed 177 deregulated miRNAs. The validation of the miRNA profiling results in 80 gingival tissue samples revealed that the PD-affected tissues had a higher expression of miR-140-3p and -145-5p, while the levels of miR-125a-3p were significantly lower in inflamed tissues. After a thorough validation, four miRNAs, namely miR-140-3p, -145-5p, -146a-5p, and -195-5p, were selected for further analysis in a larger sample of salivary (N = 173) and blood plasma (N = 221) specimens. Increased salivary levels of miR-145-5p were associated with higher mean values of pocket probing depth and bleeding on probing index. The plasma-derived levels of miR-140-3p were higher among the participants with PD. In conclusion, the gingival levels of miR-140-3p, -145-5p, and -125a-3p were independently associated with PD presence and severity. The salivary and blood plasma levels of the target miRNAs were diversely related to PD. Similar miRNA associations with PD were observed among the participants with and without RA.

Preanalytic Methodological Considerations and Sample Quality Control of Circulating miRNAs

As miRNAs emerge as potential circulating biomarkers for the diagnosis or prognosis of a wide variety of diseases, the quantification of miRNA necessitates careful preanalytic considerations and sample quality control becomes crucial. This study comprehensively analyzed the profiles of 356 miRNAs by quantitative RT-PCR in various blood sample types, with various processing protocols. The comprehensive analysis investigated the correlations of individual miRNAs with certain confounding factors. On the basis of these profiles, a panel of 7 miRNAs was established for the quality control of samples corresponding to hemolysis and platelet contamination. The panel was used to investigate the confounding impacts based on the size of the blood collection tube, the centrifugation protocol, post-freeze-thaw spinning, and whole blood storage. A standard dual-spin workflow for the processing of blood had been established for optimal sample quality. The real-time stability of 356 miRNAs was also investigated with demonstration of the temperature and time-induced miRNA degradation profile. Stability-related miRNAs were identified from real-time stability study and further incorporated into the quality control panel. This quality control panel enables the assessment of sample quality for more robust and reliable detection of circulating miRNAs.

Exploring the Potential Role of Circulating microRNAs as Biomarkers for Predicting Clinical Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) is increasingly being used to reduce tumor burden prior to surgical resection. However, current techniques for assessing tumor response have significant limitations. Additionally, drug resistance is commonly observed, raising a need to identify biomarkers that can predict treatment sensitivity and survival outcomes. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and have been shown to play a significant role in cancer progression as tumor inducers or suppressors. The expression of circulating miRNAs has been found to be significantly altered in breast cancer patients. Moreover, recent studies have suggested that circulating miRNAs can serve as non-invasive biomarkers for predicting response to NAT. Therefore, this review provides a brief overview of recent studies that have demonstrated the potential of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for predicting the clinical response to NAT in BC patients. The findings of this review will strengthen future research on developing miRNA-based biomarkers and their translation into medical practice, which could significantly improve the clinical management of BC patients undergoing NAT.

Identification of BRCA1/2 mutation female carriers using circulating microRNA profiles

Identifying germline BRCA1/2 mutation carriers is vital for reducing their risk of breast and ovarian cancer. To derive a serum miRNA-based diagnostic test we used samples from 653 healthy women from six international cohorts, including 350 (53.6%) with BRCA1/2 mutations and 303 (46.4%) BRCA1/2 wild-type. All individuals were cancer-free before and at least 12 months after sampling. RNA-sequencing followed by differential expression analysis identified 19 miRNAs significantly associated with BRCA mutations, 10 of which were ultimately used for classification: hsa-miR-20b-5p, hsa-miR-19b-3p, hsa-let-7b-5p, hsa-miR-320b, hsa-miR-139-3p, hsa-miR-30d-5p, hsa-miR-17-5p, hsa-miR-182-5p, hsa-miR-421, hsa-miR-375-3p. The final logistic regression model achieved area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.89 (95% CI: 0.87-0.93), 93.88% sensitivity and 80.72% specificity in an independent validation cohort. Mutated gene, menopausal status or having preemptive oophorectomy did not affect classification performance. Circulating microRNAs may be used to identify BRCA1/2 mutations in patients of high risk of cancer, offering an opportunity to reduce screening costs.

Leucocyte-derived micro-RNAs as candidate biomarkers in Brugada syndrome

AIMS

Risk stratification for sudden cardiac death in patients with Brugada syndrome remains a major challenge. Contemporary risk prediction models have only modest predictive value. The aim of this study was to assess the role of micro-RNAs from peripheral blood as candidate biomarkers in Brugada syndrome.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this prospective study, Brugada patients and unaffected control individuals were enrolled for analysis of leucocyte-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) levels. Expression levels of 798 different circulating miRNAs were analysed on the NanoString® nCounter platform. All results were cross-validated by using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Micro-RNA expression levels of Brugada patients were compared with clinical data. A total of 21 definite Brugada patients (38% with a history of ventricular arrhythmia or cardiac arrest) and 30 unaffected control individuals were included in the study. Micro-RNA analysis showed a distinct expression profile in Brugada patients with 42 differentially expressed markers (38 up-regulated, 4 down-regulated miRNAs). The symptom status of Brugada patients was associated with a distinct miRNA signature. Micro-RNAs 145-5p and 585-3p were significantly up-regulated in symptomatic Brugada patients (P = 0.04). Incorporating miRNAs 145-5p and 585-3p into a multivariable model demonstrated significantly increased symptom prediction (area under the curve = 0.96; 95% confidence interval: 0.88-1.00).

CONCLUSION

Brugada patients display a distinct miRNA expression profile compared with unaffected control individuals. There is also evidence that certain miRNAs (miR-145-5p and miR-585-3p) are associated with the symptom status of Brugada patients. The results suggest the principal utility of leucocyte-derived miRNAs as prognostic biomarkers for Brugada syndrome.

[The levels of certain circulating microRNAs in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are associated with echocardiographic parameters]

BACKGROUND

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited heart disease; it is characterized by left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy that cannot be explained by hemodynamic causes. It is believed that sarcomere dysfunction underlies the pathogenesis of this disease, however, only half of patients with the HCM phenotype have mutations in sarcomere-encoding genes. HCM is distinguished by both high genetic and clinical heterogeneity and therefore more studies are seeking to investigate a regulation of gene expression in HCM and how the abnormalities in this process can affect disease phenotype. One of the levels of regulation of gene expression - a post-transcriptional level - is mediated by short non-coding microRNAs that inhibit protein synthesis.

AIM

To identify the correlations between levels of circulating microRNAs, previously shown to be associated with HCM, and clinical parameters of HCM patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Correlation analysis of miR-499a-5p, miR-454 and miR-339-5p plasma levels and clinical parameters of 33 HCM patients, examined from 2019 to 2021, has been performed.

RESULTS

Variants in HCM-associated genes were found in 49% of patients. There were no clinical differences between genotype-positive and genotype-negative patients. MiR-499a-5p level correlated with LV ejection fraction, miR-454 level - with LV diastolic function parameters and miR-339-5p level - with left atrium dimension.

CONCLUSION

Levels of certain circulating microRNAs correlate with echocardiographic parameters in HCM patients.

Circulating miRNA-451a and miRNA-328-3p as Potential Markers of Coronary Artery Aneurysmal Disease

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are currently investigated as crucial regulatory factors which may serve as a potential therapeutic target. Reports on the role of miRNA in patients with coronary artery aneurysmal disease (CAAD) are limited. The present analysis aims to confirm the differences in the expression of previously preselected miRNAs in larger study groups and evaluate their usefulness as potential markers of CAAD. The study cohort included 35 consecutive patients with CAAD (Group 1), and two groups of 35 patients matched Group 1 regarding sex and age from the overall cohort of 250 patients (Group 2 and Group 3). Group 2 included patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD), while Group 3 enrolled patients with normal coronary arteries (NCA) assessed during coronary angiography. We applied the RT-qPCR method using the custom plates for the RT-qPCR array. We confirmed that the level of five preselected circulating miRNAs was different in patients with CAAD compared to Group 2 and Group 3. We found that miR-451a and miR-328 significantly improved the CAAD prediction. In conclusion, miR-451a is a significant marker of CAAD compared to patients with CAD. In turn, miR-328-3p is a significant marker of CAAD compared to patients with NCA.

Evaluating the Role of Circulating MicroRNAs in Predicting Long-Term Survival Outcomes in Breast Cancer: A Prospective, Multicenter Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

While long-term outcomes have improved for patients with breast cancer, 20% to 30% will still develop recurrence, and identifying these patients remains a challenge. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding molecules that modulate genetic expression and affect oncogenesis.

STUDY DESIGN

This prospective, multicenter trial (ICORG10/11-NCT01722851) recruited patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy across 8 Irish centers. Predetermined miRNAs were quantified from patient whole blood using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Venous sampling was performed at diagnosis (timepoint 1) and midway during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (timepoint 2 [T2]). miRNA expression profiles were correlated with recurrence-free survival (RFS), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival. Data analysis was performed using R v3.2.3.

RESULTS

A total of 124 patients were recruited with a median age of 55.0 years. The median follow-up was 103.1 months. Increased miR-145 expression at T2 was associated with improved RFS (hazard ratio 0.00; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.00 to 0.99; p = 0.050). Using survival regression tree analysis, a relative cutoff of increased miR-145 expression greater than 0.222 was associated with improved RFS (p = 0.041). Increased miR-145 expression at T2 trended towards significance in predicting improved DFS (hazard ratio 0.00; 95% CI 0.00 to 1.42; p = 0.067). Using survival regression tree analysis, a relative cutoff of increased miR-145 expression greater than 0.222 was associated with improved DFS (p = 0.012). No miRNAs correlated with overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

ICORG10/11 is the first Irish multicenter, translational research trial evaluating circulatory miRNAs as biomarkers predictive of long-term survival and correlated increased miR-145 expression with enhanced outcomes in early-stage breast cancer. Validation of these findings is required in the next generation of translational research trials.

Circulating miR-340-5p and miR-506-3p as Two Osteo-miRNAs for Predicting Osteoporosis in a Cohort of Postmenopausal Women

Objective

An increasing risk of developing osteoporosis which is characterized by bone production weakness and microarchitectural deterioration is found among postmenopausal women. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are secreted into the circulation from cells of various tissues in response to local disease severity including bone diseases. Herein, we set out to identify candidate miRNAs predictable for osteoporosis incidence in postmenopausal elderly women.

Methods

The circulating miRNA expression profiles deposited in the dataset accessioned as GSE201543 were downloaded from the GEO database. The study included 176 postmenopausal women who underwent BMD testing, including 96 women reporting osteoporosis and 70 women reporting normal BMD. All subjects were submitted their serum samples for measurements of bone metabolism markers.

Results

The miRNA expression profiles of the GSE201543 dataset were differentially analyzed and found 97 miRNAs being upregulated concomitantly with 31 miRNAs being downregulated in the serum samples between osteoporotic postmenopausal women and postmenopausal women with normal BMD. Osteoporotic postmenopausal women were demonstrated with elevated serum levels of miR-340-5p and miR-506-3p when compared to normal postmenopausal women. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated that circulating miR-340-5p and miR-506-3p expressions were increased as BAP, β-CTx, and PINP levels increased, but osteocalcin and 25-(OH)VitD levels are declined in osteoporotic postmenopausal women. Results of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) showed circulating miR-340-5p and miR-506-3p expressions alone or combined together produced 0.843 AUC, 0.851 AUC, and 0.935 AUC, respectively, when used to predict the incidence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Conclusion

Our work suggested that circulating miR-340-5p and miR-506-3p function as osteo-miRNAs in postmenopausal women and may serve as potential noninvasive biomarkers for the incidence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.