Analysis of microRNAs in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, using Solexa deep sequencing

Our aim in this study was to identify and examine the differential expression of microRNAs in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

We employed high-quality, high-throughput Solexa sequencing to clone and identify microRNAs in SLE patients and a control group.

From the sequencing data, we identified numerous microRNAs displaying significantly different levels of expression in patients with SLE and in healthy controls. The 212 and 199 microRNAs were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. Only 61 novel microRNAs exhibited significantly different levels of expression in the two groups. The target genes of the novel microRNAs identified in the SLE group were found to have cell metabolism functions. We also analyzed the chromosomal locations of the microRNAs with high level of expression between the two groups. A profile comparison revealed that the majority of transcripts were expressed at a similar level. The functional classes of the most abundant microRNAs were equally represented on each chromosome.

We identified novel and known microRNAs significantly enhancing our understanding of the microRNA expression profiles of SLE patients. These data also provide insight into the function of microRNAs in SLE and provide new strategies for future therapies.