title: Disease specific enrichment of circulating let-7 family microRNA in MuSK+ myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with antibodies against the muscle specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK+) have predominantly involvement of cranio-bulbar muscles and do not display thymus pathology, as do acetylcholine receptor antibody seropositive (AChR+) MG patients. In search of novel biomarkers for MuSK+ MG, we evaluated circulating serum microRNAs. Four analyzed microRNAs were specifically elevated in MuSK+ MG patient serum samples: let-7a-5p, let-7f-5p, miR-151a-3p and miR-423-5p. The circulating microRNA profile in MuSK+ MG differs from the profile previously observed in the serum of AChR+ MG, thus indicating the etiological difference between these two entities. We propose that the identified microRNAs could serve as potential serum biomarkers for MuSK+ MG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, BMC Box 582, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tanel
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Punga
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bartoccioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Clinical Neurophysiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lewandowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Damato
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Clinical Neurophysiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: anna.rostedt.punga@neuro.uu.se.
authors.forename: Anna Rostedt
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Punga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012372:ROC Curve; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001323:Autoantibodies; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; C487931:mirnlet7 microRNA, human; C051931:myasthenia gravis anti-skeletal muscle antibody; D011241:Prednisone
keywords: Biomarker; Let-7; MG; MicroRNA; MuSK; Muscle specific tyrosine kinase; Myasthenia gravis