title: Aberrant microRNA expression in peripheral plasma and mononuclear cells as specific blood-based biomarkers in schizophrenia patients.
abstract: Findings from multiple studies on microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling in schizophrenia patients have produced conflicting results. In order to investigate miRNA as specific biomarkers in the peripheral plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of schizophrenia patients, expression levels of the nine most frequently reported schizophrenia-associated miRNA (miR-30e, miR-34a, miR-181b, miR-195, miR-346, miR-432, miR-7, miR-132 and miR-212) were examined in the peripheral plasma and PBMC in 25 schizophrenia patients and 13 healthy controls using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We observed significantly increased expressions of miR-132, miR-195, miR-30e and miR-7 in plasma samples (p<0.05 to p<0.001), and miR-212, miR-34a and miR-30e in PBMC samples (p<0.05 to p<0.01). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) of miR-30e in plasma was 0.767 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.608-0.926) with sensitivity and specificity of 90.90% and 60.00% respectively, and the AUC of miR-30e in PBMC was 0.756 (95% CI 0.584-0.929) with sensitivity and specificity of 81.80% and 68.00%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that miR-30e in plasma was more sensitive to differentiate schizophrenia patients from normal controls than miR-30e in PBMC. Our findings indicate that miRNA expression is more significant in plasma than in PBMC, and suggest that miR-30e in plasma may be a more sensitive biomarker for schizophrenia diagnosis, although its aberrant expression can be detected in both plasma and PBMC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; Prevention and Treatment Center for Psychological Diseases, No.102 Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, North Peace Road 55, Changzhou 213003, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin-yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: GoPath Laboratories LLC, Buffalo Grove, IL, USA; GoPath Diagnostics Laboratories Ltd, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: First Center for Mental Health of Civil Affairs Bureau, Minhang District, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong-tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui-min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory, No.102 Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ai-fang
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, No.102 Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: GoPath Laboratories LLC, Buffalo Grove, IL, USA; GoPath Diagnostics Laboratories Ltd, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhong-min
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: GoPath Diagnostics Laboratories Ltd, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yun-hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory, No.102 Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: GoPath Diagnostics Laboratories Ltd, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan-fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Prevention and Treatment Center for Psychological Diseases, No.102 Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, North Peace Road 55, Changzhou 213003, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: zly102@126.com.
authors.forename: Li-yi
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Biomarker; MicroRNA; PBMC; Plasma; Schizophrenia; qRT-PCR