Circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers for smoking-related interstitial fibrosis

Numerous efforts have been made to indentify reliable and predictive biomarkers to detect the early signs of smoking-induced lung disease. Using 6-month cigarette smoking in mice, we have established smoking-related interstitial fibrosis (SRIF). Microarray analyses and cytokine/chemokine biomarker measurements were made to select circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) biomarkers. We have demonstrated that specific miRNAs species (miR-125b-5p, miR-128, miR-30e, and miR-20b) were significantly changed, both in the lung tissue and in plasma, and exhibited mainstream (MS) exposure duration-dependent pathological changes in the lung. These findings suggested a potential use of specific circulating miRNAs as sensitive and informative biomarkers for smoking-induced lung disease.