Expression signature of inflammation-associated long non-coding RNAs in adult-onset Still's disease

Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a rare and complex inflammatory disease with unclear immunopathogenesis. This study aims to investigate the expression signature of inflammation-associated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in AOSD and to evaluate its utility for disease diagnosis and prognostication.

Expression levels of lncRNAs MIAT, THRIL, NTT, RMRP, PACERR and NEAT1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from treatment-naïve AOSD patients and healthy donors were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR and logistic regression analysis.

A diagnostic scoring algorithm was built based on the expression pattern of MIAT, THRIL and RMRP, which could differentiate AOSD from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or sepsis. Our score could also predict the need of biologics in AOSD treatment. We further followed up ten AOSD patients and found that the expression of NEAT1 was positively correlated with the expression levels of MIAT, THRIL and RMRP after treatment. In poly(I:C)-stimulated THP-1 cell and primary monocytes, MIAT upregulation coupled with THRIL downregulation was similar to the expression pattern observed in AOSD.

Our study provides an AOSD diagnostic scoring system based on the expression signature of MIAT, THRIL and RMRP. Further investigations are needed to uncover the mechanisms of lncRNA dysregulation in AOSD.