title: Serum miR-338-5p, soluble B-cell-activating factor, allo-antibodies, and renal transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of the study was to explore the expression features of serum miR-338-5p and soluble B-cell-activating factor (sBAFF) in renal transplant recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follow-up renal transplant recipients (n = 49) were enrolled in this study (male/female: 38/11). Healthy volunteers were controlled; 2 mL of peripheral blood from each subject was collected. Total RNA was extracted from serum by use of the miRNeasy Serum/Plasma Kit (QIAGEN), and miR-338-5p was amplified by means of quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. sBAFF was detected by means of enzyme-linked immunoassay. LABScreen Mix (LSM12) (One Lambda) was used to test the level of anti-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) I antibody (Ab), anti-HLA II Ab, and anti-major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related A (MICA) Ab. All data are shown as mean ± SD and were analyzed by use of SPSS software 17.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with healthy volunteers, serum miR-338-5p in recipients was statistically downregulated (2.79 ± 2.5 versus 0.09 ± 0.12, P < .001); sBAFF in recipients was significantly upregulated (1321 ± 950 pg/mL versus 534 ± 327 pg/mL, P < .01); serum anti-HLAII Ab, anti-MICA Ab, and anti-HLA+MICA Abs all statistically increased in recipients (P < .05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that miR-338-5p was significantly negatively correlated with sBAFF (r = -0.51, P < .001) and anti-HLA II antibody with mean fluorescence intensity value >1000 (r = -0.322, P < .05). Analysis results also suggested that sBAFF was significantly negatively correlated with anti-MICA Ab, with mean fluorescence intensity value >1000 (r = -0.579, P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  miR-338-5p is closely correlated with the procedure of renal allograft antibody-mediated rejection.
authors.affiliation: Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China. Electronic address: hexiaozhou01@163.com.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Sciences, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Biotechnological Institute of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000209:etiology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D006680:HLA Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007518:Isoantibodies; C532050:MIRN338 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs