Serum and urinary cell-free MiR-146a and MiR-155 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
Recent studies showed that micro-RNA play important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. We studied the levels of miR-146a and miR-155 in the serum and urinary supernatant of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
The serum and urinary supernatant levels of miR-146a and miR-155 were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 40 patients with SLE and 30 healthy controls.


RESULTS
Compared to controls, serum miR-146a and miR-155 levels were lower, and the urinary level of miR-146a was higher, in SLE. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) correlated with both serum miR-146a (r = 0.519, p = 0.001) and miR-155 (r = 0.384, p = 0.014). Serum miR-146a inversely correlated with proteinuria (r = -0.341, p = 0.031) and the SLE Disease Activity Index (r = -0.465, p = 0.003). Serum miR-146a and miR-155 levels also correlated with red blood cell count, platelet count, and lymphocyte count. After treatment with calcitriol for 6 months, serum miR-146a level of SLE patients increased significantly (p < 0.001), and its change inversely correlated with the level of calcium-phosphate product (r = -0.466, p = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggested that serum miR-146a and miR-155 participate in the pathophysiology of SLE and might be used as biomarkers of SLE.
Wang
Gang
G
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China.
Tam
Lai-Shan
LS
Li
Edmund Kwok-Ming
EK
Kwan
Bonnie Ching-Ha
BC
Chow
Kai-Ming
KM
Luk
Cathy Choi-Wan
CC
Li
Philip Kam-Tao
PK
Szeto
Cheuk-Chun
CC
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000652:urine*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D015415:Biomarkers; C542542:MIRN146 microRNA, human; C524942:MIRN155 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs