Differential long non-coding RNA expression profile and function analysis in primary Sjogren's syndrome.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Genomics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder marked by aberrant immune cell activity.
• Identifying molecular players in pSS pathogenesis is crucial for understanding disease mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of pSS patients.
• To identify novel lncRNAs involved in the pathogenesis of pSS.

Main Methods:

• RNA extraction from PBMCs of pSS patients and healthy controls.
• Transcriptome sequencing to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs.
• Construction of protein-protein interaction (PPI) and competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks.
• Validation of key lncRNAs using real-time PCR.

Main Results:

• 1180 lncRNAs and 640 mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in pSS patients.
• Four key lncRNAs (GABPB1-AS1, PSMA3-AS1, LINC00847, SNHG1) were identified in the ceRNA network.
• GABPB1-AS1 and PSMA3-AS1 were significantly upregulated in pSS patients.
• GABPB1-AS1 expression positively correlated with B cell percentage and IgG levels.

Conclusions:

• GABPB1-AS1 is significantly upregulated in pSS patients.
• GABPB1-AS1 expression correlates with key immunological markers (B cells, IgG).
• GABPB1-AS1 is a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for pSS.