title: miR-29c-3p is an Effective Biomarker of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery.
abstract: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is usually asymptomatic and mostly diagnosed incidentally. Aortic dilatation progresses along with the wall weakening and eventually leads to a life-threatening rupture. Currently, there are no effective screening biomarkers for AAA. MicroRNAs, a class of small noncoding RNA molecules, offer great potential as biomarkers because of their stability in the bloodstream and expression profile specific for different diseases.
  
  
  
  To assess the circulating miR-29c-3p as a potential biomarker of AAA and to elucidate the biological functions of miR-29c-3p in terms of pathogenesis of aneurysms.
  
  
  
  Two groups of patients scheduled for elective surgery were studied: 52 patients with AAA, and 51 patients with peripheral artery disease who served as a control group (matched by age and gender). Serum miRNA was measured for circulating miR-29c-3p using quantitative real-time PCR. Functional tests of miR-29c-3p impact on the targeted transcripts were studied using its mimic or inhibitor and a cell culture of endothelial cells.
  
  
  
  Serum miR-29c-3p was significantly elevated in AAA patients as compared with controls (RQ=8.73) and correlated with the diameter of the aneurysm. No association between well-known risk factors and level of circulating miR-29c-3p was found using a logistic regression. In vitro study revealed that miR-29c-3p suppressed transcripts of ELN, COL4A1, PTEN and VEGFA.
  
  
  
  The results suggest that elevated miR-29c-3p is a potential serum biomarker for AAA. Causal involvement of miR-29c-3p in pathogenesis of the disease was found in human vascular endothelial cells, which extracellular matrix synthesis and integrity maintenance was inhibited.
authors: Sabina
authors: S
authors: Licholai
authors: Wojciech
authors: W
authors: Szczeklik
authors: Division of Molecular Biology and Clinical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawinska Street, 31-066 Krakow, Poland. marek.sanak@uj.edu.pl.
authors: Marek
authors: M
authors: Sanak
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000097:blood; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C547475:COL4A1 protein, human; D024141:Collagen Type IV; C532045:MIRN29a microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human