Expression profile of MicroRNAs in young stroke patients.
BACKGROUND
The methods currently available for diagnosis and prognosis of cerebral ischaemia still require further improvements. Micro-RNAs (small non-coding RNAs) have been recently reported as useful biomarkers in diseases such as cancer and diabetes. We therefore carried out microRNA (miRNA) profiling from peripheral blood to detect and identify characteristic patterns in ischaemic stroke.


RESULTS
The ischaemic stroke patients aged between 18-49 years, characterized based on World Health Organization clinical criteria were further classified according to TOAST classification, a) Large-vessel atherosclerosis [n=8] b) Small-vessel disease [n=3] c) Cardioembolism [n=5] d) Undetermined cause [n=3]. The patients' functional status at the time of blood sampling (at the outpatient clinics) was evaluated with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Blood samples from normal (n=5) individuals were used as controls. Total RNA extracted from whole blood was subjected to miroRNA profiling and real-time PCR analysis. miRNAs that are implicated in the endothelial/vascular function, erythropoiesis, angiogenesis and neural function showed differential expression profile as compared to the normal control. Interestingly, miRNAs that are involved in hypoxic conditions have also been found in our miRNA profiles.


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrate that the peripheral blood miRNAs and their profiles can be developed as biomarkers in diagnosis and prognosis of cerebral ischaemic stroke. The dysregulated miRNAs have been detectable even after several months from the onset of stroke in what is usually regarded as neurologically stable patients.
Tan
Kay Sin
KS
Department of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Armugam
Arunmozhiarasi
A
Sepramaniam
Sugunavathi
S
Lim
Kai Ying
KY
Setyowati
Karolina Dwi
KD
Wang
Chee Woon
CW
Jeyaseelan
Kandiah
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020521:Stroke / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs