E-MTAB-6107
Decreased miRNA expression in Klinefelter syndrome
The widely variable phenotypic spectrum and the different symptom severity in men with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) suggest a role for epigenetic mediators. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible involvement of miRNAs in the clinical manifestations of KS. To accomplish this, we performed a transcriptome analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 10 non-mosaic KS patients , 10 aged-matched healthy male and 10 aged-matched  healthy female controls with normal karyotype. After RNA extraction from PBMC and the preparation of small RNA libraries, the samples were sequenced using next generation high-throughput sequencing technology.  Expression profiling analysis revealed a significant differential expression of 2 miRNAs in KS compared to male controls. In particular, MIR3648 resulted significantly (p<0.0001) down-regulated by -19.084- fold, while MIR3687was non-expressed at all (p<0.0001) in KS patients. These results were confirmed by qRT-PCR.  The functional analysis of the two transcripts showed that they seem to play a role in breast cancer, hemopoietic abnormalities, immune defects and adipocyte differentiation and fat cell maturation. Therefore, we speculate that both miRNAs may play a role in the immune and metabolic disorders and in the risk of breast cancer development in men with KS.
The widely variable phenotypic spectrum and the different symptom severity in men with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) suggest a role for epigenetic mediators. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible involvement of miRNAs in the clinical manifestations of KS. To accomplish this, we performed a transcriptome analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 10 non-mosaic KS patients , 10 aged-matched healthy male and 10 aged-matched  healthy female controls with normal karyotype. After RNA extraction from PBMC and the preparation of small RNA libraries, the samples were sequenced using next generation high-throughput sequencing technology.  Expression profiling analysis revealed a significant differential expression of 2 miRNAs in KS compared to male controls. In particular, MIR3648 resulted significantly (p<0.0001) down-regulated by -19.084- fold, while MIR3687was non-expressed at all (p<0.0001) in KS patients. These results were confirmed by qRT-PCR.  The functional analysis of the two transcripts showed that they seem to play a role in breast cancer, hemopoietic abnormalities, immune defects and adipocyte differentiation and fat cell maturation. Therefore, we speculate that both miRNAs may play a role in the immune and metabolic disorders and in the risk of breast cancer development in men with KS.