title: Overexpression of microRNA-21 and microRNA-126 in the patients of bronchial asthma.
abstract: MicroRNAs are implicated in an increasing number of diseases and health complications, including asthma. Previous studies have suggested roles for microRNA-21 (miR-21) and microRNA-126 (miR-126) in asthma, although these relationships are incompletely understood. The aim of this study was to further assess the relationship between miR-21, miR-126 and the occurrence and treatment of allergic asthma. Quantitative real-time PCR analyzed expression levels of miR-21 and miR-126 in bronchial epidermal cells from asthma patients treated with (treatment group, n=19) or without (non-treatment group, n=16) inhaled corticosteroids or from non-asthmatic healthy individuals (normal group, n=12). Bronchial epidermal cells were cultured in vitro to determine if there was a relationship between IL-13 and miR-21 and miR-126 expression. Compared to the normal group, miR-21 and miR-126 expression was significantly upregulated in asthma patients regardless of treatment. miR-21 and miR-126 expression was significantly higher in the non-treatment group than the treatment group (P<0.05). In vitro, miR-21 and miR-126 expression increased in bronchial epidermal cells with increasing IL-13 concentration. Because upregulation of miR-126 and miR-21 were associated with occurrence and therapy of allergic asthma, they may be indices of therapeutic effect that are valuable for the evaluation for asthma treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hainan Medical University Haikou 571199, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Xian-Bo
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: College of Basic Medicine Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Chengdu 610075, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Yi
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hainan Medical University Haikou 571199, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hainan Medical University Haikou 571199, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Song-Qi
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: College of Preclinical Medicine Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Chengdu 610075, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Yao-Dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hainan Medical University Haikou 571199, Hainan Province, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Xie
keywords: Asthma; microRNA-126; microRNA-21; real time PCR