Circulating microRNA 216 as a Marker for the Early Identification of Severe Acute Pancreatitis.
BACKGROUND
To study the value of circulating microRNA 216 (miR-216) as a marker for the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) in both murine models and patients.


METHODS
Mice with AP were induced by intraperitoneal injection of 50μg/kg/hour cerulean either 7 times, sacrificed at 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 hours after the first injection, or 12 times, sacrificed at 24 hours after the first injection. Plasma samples and data from patients with AP were obtained from a prospective cohort. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the miR-216a and miR-216b level.


RESULTS
The upregulation of miR-216a and miR-216b in the serum of mice was induced by cerulean injection in both the 7- and 12-injection groups (P < 0.05). The downregulation of miR-216a in pancreatic tissues of mice with AP was detected (P < 0.05), but no difference was observed in pancreatic miR-216b levels among any of the groups (all P > 0.05). The serum miR-216a level was positively correlated with pancreatic histopathology severity scores, and was negatively correlated with pancreatic miR-216a (r = -0.483, P = 0.009). The plasma miR-216a level was significantly upregulated in patients with severe AP (SAP) compared with patients with mild AP (MAP) or moderate severe AP (MSAP) (SAP versus MAP, P = 0.04; SAP versus MSAP, P = 0.00), but no difference was seen between patients with MAP and those with MSAP (P = 0.73).


CONCLUSIONS
Circulating miR-216a might be a potential biomarker for the early identification of SAP.
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Xiao-Xin
XX
Zhang
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. Electronic address: denglihui_wch@163.com.
Li-Hui
LH
Deng
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Wei-Wei
WW
Chen
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Na
N
Shi
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Tao
T
Jin
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Zi-Qi
ZQ
Lin
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Yun
Y
Ma
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Kun
K
Jiang
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Xiao-Nan
XN
Yang
Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. Electronic address: xiaqing@medmail.com.cn.
Qing
Q
Xia
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
D015415:Biomarkers; C575482:MIRN216 microRNA, human; C553402:MIRN216 microRNA, mouse; D035683:MicroRNAs; D000681:Amylases
Acute pancreatitis; Biomarker; Severe acute pancreatitis; miR-216a; microRNA 216