title: Biological significance of miR-126 expression in atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
abstract: We investigated the biological significance of microRNA-126 (miR-126) expression in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or heart failure (HF) to examine the possible mechanism of miR-126-dependent AF and development of HF. A total of 103 patients were divided into three groups: AF group (18 men and 17 women, mean age: 65.62±12.72 years), HF group (17 men and 15 women, mean age: 63.95±19.71 years), and HF-AF group (20 men and 16 women, mean age: 66.56±14.37 years). Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure relative miR-126 expression as calculated by the 2-ΔΔCt method. miR-126 was frequently downregulated in the 3 patient groups compared with controls. This reduction was significantly lower in permanent and persistent AF patients than in those with paroxysmal AF (P<0.05, t-test). Moreover, miR-126 expression was markedly lower in the HF-AF group compared with the AF and HF groups. The 3 patient groups had higher N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), larger left atrial diameter, and higher cardiothoracic ratio compared with controls. There were significant differences in NT-proBNP levels and LVEF among the AF, HF, and HF-AF groups. Pearson correlation analysis showed that relative miR-126 expression was positively associated with LVEF, logarithm of NT-proBNP, left atrial diameter, cardiothoracic ratio, and age in HF-AF patients. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that miR-126 expression was positively correlated with LVEF, but negatively correlated with the logarithm of NT-pro BNP and the cardiothoracic ratio (all P<0.05). Serum miR-126 levels could serve as a potential candidate biomarker for evaluating the severity of AF and HF. However, to confirm these results, future studies with a larger and diverse patient population are necessary.
authors: Intensive Care Unit, The People's Hospital of Laiwu City, Laiwu City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: X J
authors: XJ
authors: Wei
authors: Emergency Department, The People's Hospital of Laiwu City, Laiwu City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Han
authors: Intensive Care Unit, The People's Hospital of Laiwu City, Laiwu City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: F Y
authors: FY
authors: Yang
authors: Intensive Care Unit, The People's Hospital of Laiwu City, Laiwu City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: G C
authors: GC
authors: Wei
authors: Intensive Care Unit, The People's Hospital of Laiwu City, Laiwu City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: Z G
authors: ZG
authors: Liang
authors: Intensive Care Unit, The People's Hospital of Laiwu City, Laiwu City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Yao
authors: Intensive Care Unit, The People's Hospital of Laiwu City, Laiwu City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: C W
authors: CW
authors: Ji
authors: Intensive Care Unit, The People's Hospital of Laiwu City, Laiwu City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: R S
authors: RS
authors: Xie
authors: Intensive Care Unit, The People's Hospital of Laiwu City, Laiwu City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: C L
authors: CL
authors: Gong
authors: Intensive Care Unit, The People's Hospital of Laiwu City, Laiwu City, Shandong Province, China.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Tian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D016275:Atrial Function / Q000502:physiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C527111:MIRN126 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain