title: Genome-wide microRNA changes in human intracranial aneurysms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intracranial aneurysms are pathological dilatations of the cerebral artery, while rupture of intracranial aneurysms causes life-threatening subarachnoid hemorrhage. The molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of intracranial aneurysms are poorly understood. MicroRNAs have fundamental roles in modulating vascular biology and disease. In the present study, we carried out a genome-wide characterization on expressions of microRNAs, and performed integrative analyses in conjunction with changes of the transcriptome in human intracranial aneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Genome-wide microRNA screening was performed in 6 intracranial aneurysmal samples and 6 normal superficial temporal arteries. Each case and control pair was individually matched with gender, age (±5 years), and high blood pressure history. Microarray analysis was performed using Agilent Human miRNA arrays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As compared to normal arteries, we identified 157 microRNAs that were differentially expressed in the aneurysmal tissue (P < 0.05 and fold change ≥ 2), including 72 upregulated and 85 downregulated. The changed microRNAs included endothelium-enriched microRNAs such as members of the let-7 family, miR-17, miR-23b, miR-126, hsa-miR-24-1 and miR-222, and vascular smooth muscle-enriched miRNAs such as miR-143 and miR-145. Moreover, miR-1, miR-10a, miR-125b, and miR-26a, which were implicated in modulating vascular smooth muscle cell functions such as proliferation, apoptosis and shift of phenotype, were also changed. In contrast, microRNAs involved in monocyte and macrophage functions, such as miR-155, miR-146a, miR-223, and miR-124a, were not significantly changed. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the changed microRNAs were associated with several biological processes related to aneurysm formation, including inflammation, dysregulation of extracellular matrix, smooth muscle cell proliferation, programmed cell death, and response to oxidative stress. Interestingly, we found that a subset of the potential microRNA target genes belonged to the protein translation machinery, including various eukaryotic translation initiation factors and ribosomal proteins, and this finding was highly correlated with our previous transcriptome data showing that multiple genes of the ribosomal proteins and translation initiation and elongation factors were significantly downregulated in human intracranial aneurysms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support that dysregulated microRNAs may have a pathogenic role in intracranial aneurysms. Disruption of the protein translation process may have a pathogenic role in the development of intracranial aneurysms.
authors.forename: Dehua
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xinjian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Qilu Hospital, 107 Wenhuaxi Road, Jinan 250012, Shandong Province, China. maogou1974@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Qunye
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs