title: Circulating microRNA profile in patients with membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava.
abstract: Membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava (MOVC) is a common type of Budd-Chiari syndrome. However, the pathogenesis of MOVC has not been fully elucidated. Recent studies demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are involved in multiple diseases. To the best of our knowledge, specific changes in the expression of miRNAs in MOVC patients have not been previously assessed. The present study used a microarray analysis, followed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) validation, with the aim to access the miRNA expression levels in the plasma of 34 MOVC patients, compared with those in healthy controls. The results revealed a total of 16 differentially expressed miRNAs in MOVC patients. Subsequently, RT-qPCR analysis verified the statistically consistent expression of 5 selected miRNAs (miR-125a-5p, miR-133b, miR-423-5p, miR-1228-5p and miR-1266), in line with the results of the microarray analysis. These 5 miRNAs, which were described as crucial regulators in numerous biological processes and vascular diseases, may play an important role in the pathogenesis of MOVC. Bioinformatics analysis of target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs revealed that these predicted targets were significantly enriched and involved in several key signaling pathways important for MOVC, including the ErbB, Wnt, MAPK and VEGF signaling pathway. In conclusion, miRNAs may involve in multiple signaling pathways contributing to the pathological processes of MOVC. The present study offers an intriguing new perspective on the involvement of miRNAs in MOVC; however, the precise underlying mechanisms require further validation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Gui-Xiang
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ya-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Li-Chun
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Mao-Heng
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zu
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shui-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jin-Peng
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Lu
keywords: Budd-Chiari syndrome; bioinformatics analysis; membranous obstruction of the inferior vena cava; microRNA