The Diagnostic Value of Circulating Brain-specific MicroRNAs for Ischemic Stroke

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Neurology

Background:

• Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as valuable biomarkers for disease diagnosis.
• Ischemic stroke diagnosis currently relies on clinical assessment and neuroimaging.
• Identifying non-invasive biomarkers is crucial for early and accurate stroke detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the diagnostic potential of plasma miR-107, miR-128b, and miR-153 in ischemic stroke patients.
• To assess the correlation between these circulating miRNAs and stroke severity.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure miRNA levels in plasma.
• Plasma samples were collected from 114 ischemic stroke patients and 58 healthy controls.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate diagnostic accuracy.

Main Results:

• Circulating levels of miR-107, miR-128b, and miR-153 were significantly elevated in ischemic stroke patients compared to healthy volunteers (2.78-, 2.13-, and 1.83-fold increases, respectively).
• ROC curve analysis demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for these miRNAs, with areas under the curve of 0.97, 0.903, and 0.893, respectively.
• Elevated miRNA levels positively correlated with stroke severity, as assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS).

Conclusions:

• Circulating miR-107, miR-128b, and miR-153 show promise as novel, non-invasive biomarkers for ischemic stroke diagnosis.
• These miRNAs may serve as indicators of stroke severity.
• Further validation in large-scale prospective studies is warranted to confirm their clinical utility.