title: Relationship of cell-free urine MicroRNA with lupus nephritis in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of genes. The objective of this study was to investigate whether select urinary cell-free microRNA's may serve as biomarkers in children with active lupus nephritis (LN) and to assess their relationship to the recently identified combinatorial urine biomarkers, a.k.a. the LN-Panel (neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin, monocyte chemotactic protein 1, transferrin, and beta-trace protein).
  
  
  METHODS
  miRNAs (125a, 127, 146a, 150 and 155) were measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction in the urine pellet (PEL) and supernatant (SUP) in 14 patients with active LN, 10 patients with active extra-renal lupus, and 10 controls. The concentrations of the LN-Panel biomarkers (neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, transferrin, beta-trace protein) was assayed. Traditional laboratory and clinical measures of LN and lupus (complements, protein to creatinine ratio; Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index) were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All tested miRNAs in the SUP, but not the PEL, were associated with the LN-Panel biomarkers (0.3 < |r Pearson| < 0.73; p < 0.05), miRNA125a, miRNA127,miRNA146a also with C3 and dsDNA antibody levels (|r Pearson| > 0.24; p < 0.05), and miRNA146a with the renal domain of the SLEDAI (|r Pearson| = 0.32; p < 0.05). Mean miRNA levels of patients with active LN did not statistically (P > 0.05) differ from those of SLE patients without LN or controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levels of cell-free miR-125a, miR-150, and miR-155 in the urine supernatant are associated with the expression of LN-Panel biomarkers and some LN measures. These miRNA's may complement, but are unlikely superior to the LN-Panel for estimating concurrent LN activity.
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. khalidabulaban@hotmail.com.|Division of Rheumatology, Helen Devos Children's Hospital, 35 Michigan St NE, Suite 4150, MC081, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA. khalidabulaban@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Khalid M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Abulaban
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. ndate.fall@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Ndate
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fall
authors.affiliation: University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA. ravi.nunna@ucmail.edu.
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nunna
authors.affiliation: University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA. jun.ying@uc.edu.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. Prasad.devarajan@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Prasad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devarajan
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. alexi.grom@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Alexi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grom
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. Michael.bennett@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: Ohio State University, Wexner College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA. stacy.ardoin@osumc.edu.
authors.forename: Stacy P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ardoin
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. hermine.brunner@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Hermine I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Brunner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000652:urine*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016482:Urinalysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005819:Genetic Markers; D035683:MicroRNAs