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Published on: September 7, 2022
Circulating microRNAs differentiate Kawasaki Disease from infectious febrile illnesses in childhood
Pei-Ni Jone1, Armin Korst2, Anis Karimpour-Fard3
1Pediatric Cardiology, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.
Background:
Kawasaki Disease (KD) is an acute vasculitis of unknown etiology in children that can lead to coronary artery lesions (CAL) in 25% of untreated patients. There is currently no diagnostic test for KD, and the clinical presentation is often difficult to differentiate from other febrile childhood illnesses. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules that control gene expression by inducing transcript degradation or by blocking translation. We hypothesize that the expression of circulating miRNAs will differentiate KD from non-KD febrile illnesses in children.
Methods:
Circulating miRNA profiles from 84 KD patients and 29 non-KD febrile controls (7 viral and 22 bacterial infections) were evaluated. 3 ul of serum from each subject was submitted to 3 freeze/heat cycles to ensure miRNA release from microvesicles or interaction with serum proteins. miRNAs were reverse transcribed using a pool of primers specific for each miRNA. Real-time PCR reactions were performed in a 384 well plate containing sequence-specific primers and TaqMan probes in the ABI7900. '.
Results:
KD patients (3.6 ± 2.2 yrs., 58% male) were found to have a unique circulating miRNA profile, including upregulation of miRNA-210-3p, -184, and -19a-3p (p < .0001), compared to non-KD febrile controls (8.5 ± 6.1 yrs., 72% male).
Conclusions:
Circulating miRNAs can differentiate KD from infectious febrile childhood diseases, supporting their potential as a diagnostic biomarker for KD.
Insights
Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) show unique expression patterns in children with Kawasaki Disease (KD), differentiating it from other febrile illnesses. This finding supports miRNAs as potential diagnostic biomarkers for KD.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Kawasaki Disease (KD) is a critical childhood vasculitis with no definitive diagnostic test.
- Delayed diagnosis of KD can lead to severe coronary artery lesions (CAL).
- Differentiating KD from other febrile illnesses in children is clinically challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as diagnostic biomarkers for Kawasaki Disease.
- To determine if miRNA expression profiles can distinguish KD from other febrile childhood diseases.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples from 84 KD patients and 29 non-KD febrile controls were analyzed.
- Circulating miRNAs were extracted and quantified using real-time PCR after specific reverse transcription.
- Analysis focused on miRNA profiles to identify differential expression patterns.
Main Results:
- Children with KD exhibited a distinct circulating miRNA profile compared to controls.
- Specific miRNAs, including miRNA-210-3p, -184, and -19a-3p, were significantly upregulated in KD patients.
- The observed miRNA expression patterns were statistically significant (p < .0001).
Conclusions:
- Circulating miRNA profiles can effectively differentiate Kawasaki Disease from infectious febrile illnesses in children.
- These findings highlight the potential of circulating miRNAs as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for KD.
- Further research can validate these miRNAs for clinical application in KD diagnosis.
