title: [Expression of miR-21 in peripheral blood serum and mononuclear cells in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its clinical significance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore expression of miR-21 in peripheral blood serum and mononuclear cells of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and to discuss the significance and underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were divided into a healthy control group (n=41) and a COPD group (n=49). The miR-21 level was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. The correlations between miR-21 and lung function or forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression levels of miR-21 in the serum and mononuclear cells in the COPD group were significantly elevated compared with those in the healthy group (P<0.05). The expression of miR-21 was correlated with the lung function of COPD patients. The expression level of miR-21 in the COPD patients was positively correlated with FEV1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The upregulation of miR-21 in peripheral blood serum and mononuclear cells of COPD patients may contribute to the pathogenesis of COPD and the severity of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Disease, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013, China.
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Disease, Fourth Hospital of Changsha, Changsha 410006, China.
authors.forename: Fangying
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Disease, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410013.
authors.forename: Shenghua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008168:Lung; D035683:MicroRNAs; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: C524940:MIRN21 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs