title: Differential microRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Graves' disease patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Graves' disease (GD) is a common autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland. As a new class of modulators of gene expression, microRNA (miRNA) have been reported to play a vital role in immune functions and in the development of autoimmunity and autoimmune disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to characterize the different miRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from GD patients and healthy individuals and examine their direct responses to T(3) treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one patients who met criteria for initial GD, 13 GD patients in remission, and 35 healthy controls were recruited. Microarray was used to analyze the expression patterns of miRNA in PBMC obtained from initial GD patients and healthy controls. Three top-ranked miRNA were selected and validated by TaqMan-based real-time PCR in healthy controls, initial GD patients, and GD patients in remission. Furthermore, we cultured PBMC from healthy donors with or without T(3) treatment to examine direct effects of T(3) on selective miRNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were sixteen miRNA expressed differently in PBMC from initial GD patients compared with normal subjects. Further analysis consistently showed that the expression of miR-154*, miR-376b, and miR-431* were suppressed in PBMC from initial GD patients. In addition, their expression levels were recovered in GD patients in remission. Meanwhile, T(3) treatment could directly inhibit the expression of these miRNA in cultured PBMC from healthy subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present work revealed that differentially expressed miRNA were associated with GD and T(3) exposure, which might serve as novel biomarkers of GD and potential targets for GD treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China. lindongping2005@126.com
authors.forename: Rongjiao
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xinran
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Lingyan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Dao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaohua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.forename: Dongping
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; C561122:MIRN154 microRNA, human; C573498:MIRN376C microRNA, human; C573122:MIRN431 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D014284:Triiodothyronine