title: Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid microRNA-146a: A Biomarker of Disease Severity and Pulmonary Function in Patients With Silicosis.
abstract: To examine the impact of microRNA-146a (miR-146a) on pulmonary function and disease severity in silicosis patients.
  
  
  
  Twenty-nine silicosis patients and six observation subjects were recruited. MiR-146a expression level was detected by qRT-PCR, and pulmonary function was assessed with a spirometer.
  
  
  
  MiR-146a expression level was higher in silicosis patients than in observation subjects, and the probability of suffering from silicosis increased with increasing miR-146a level. MiR-146a was associated with the severity of silicosis. As the miR-146a increased, the probability of suffering from silicosis increased for stage I patients, and for stage II & III patients, the probability first increased and then decreased. MiR-146a was also associated with decreased pulmonary function measures, pulmonary function impairment, and restrictive ventilator dysfunction.
  
  
  
  miR-146a was significantly associated with the disease severity and pulmonary function of silicosis.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, West China School of Public Health (Dr Zhang, Dr Zhang, and Dr Lan), and Department of Occupational Diseases, No. 4 West China Teaching Hospital (Dr Zhou, Dr Gao), Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan; Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Dr Wang), School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia; and Department of Industrial Hygiene, 903 Hospital of China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, Sichuan (Dr Ren), China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dingzi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Faxuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Xiaosi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yajia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012829:Silicosis / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C542542:MIRN146 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs