miRNAs that associate with conjunctival inflammation and ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection do not predict progressive disease.
We previously showed that conjunctival miR-147b and miR-1285 were upregulated in Gambian adults with inflammatory scarring trachoma, and miR-155 and miR-184 expression was strongly associated with conjunctival inflammation and ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection in children from Guinea-Bissau. We investigated whether the single or combined expression of miR-147b, miR-1285, miR-155 and miR-184 was able to identify individuals with increased risk of incident or progressive scarring trachoma. Conjunctival swab samples were collected from 506 children between the ages of 4 and 12 living in northern Tanzania. These 506 samples formed the baseline sample set of a 4-year longitudinal study. Chlamydia trachomatis infection was diagnosed by droplet digital PCR and expression of miR-155, miR-184, miR-1285 and miR-147b was tested by qPCR. Individuals were assessed for incidence and progression of conjunctival scarring by comparison of conjunctival photographs taken at baseline and 4 years later. miR-184 and miR-155 were strongly associated with inflammation and infection at baseline; however, no miR was associated with 4-year scarring incidence or progression. miR-184 expression was more strongly downregulated during inflammation in non-progressors relative to progressors, suggesting that a disequilibrium in the efficiency of wound healing is a significant determinant of progressive conjunctival fibrosis.
Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.|Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, PO Box 3010, Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Tamsyn
T
Derrick
Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.|Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, PO Box 3010, Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Athumani M
AM
Ramadhani
Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, PO Box 3010, Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Karim
K
Mtengai
Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, PO Box 3010, Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
Patrick
P
Massae
Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
Matthew J
MJ
Burton
Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
Martin J
MJ
Holland
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D018450:Disease Progression; D015818:Eye Infections, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D035683:MicroRNAs
Chlamydia trachomatis; biomarker; fibrosis; inflammation; miRNA; trachoma