Circulating miR-29b and miR-424 as Prognostic Markers in Patients with Acute Cerebral Infarction

Down-regulation of miR-29b and miR-424 have been observed in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI); however, the clinical significance of circulating miR-29b and miR-424 as prognostic markers still requires further investigation.

A total of 45 patients diagnosed with ACI and 45 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study, and the clinical information of the patients were collected. The serum samples of the participants were collected and stored at -80°C. The relative expression of miR-29b and miR-424 was determined using RT-qPCR, and the serum levels of IL-6, IL-4, TNF-α, and IFN-γ were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The short-term prognosis of patients was evaluated using the Glasgow Outcome scale (GOS) at day 30.

The serum levels of miR-29b and miR-424 were significantly lower in patients with ACI compared with the healthy controls (p < 0.01) and the serum level of IL-6, IL-4, and TNF-α were significantly up-regulated in patients with ACI (p < 0.05); moreover, using the Glasgow Outcome scale (GOS) as a prognostic index, it has been proved that the serum level of both miR-29b and miR-424 were positively associated with the short-term prognosis of the patients; finally, the expression of the circulating miR-29b and miR-424 were negatively correlated with the serum level of IL-6, IL-4, and TNF-α.

Lower levels of circulating miR-29b and miR-424 in patients with acute cerebral infarction may predict poor prognosis, and the expression of circulating miR-29b and miR-424 are negatively correlated with the serum level of some pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that circulating miR-29b and miR-424 may have the potential to become prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for the management of acute cerebral infarction.