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Expression analysis of mTOR-associated lncRNAs in multiple sclerosis
Mohammadarian Akbari1, Fatemeh Eshghyar2, Mahdi Gholipour3
1Phytochemistry Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
mTOR has been shown to be involved in the regulation of immune responses and differentiation of immune cells. This protein is a candidate molecule for unraveling the molecular mechanisms of autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). We designed the current study to assess expression of MTOR, and four associated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), namely SNHG1, SNHG3, SHNG5 and DANCR in the peripheral blood of patients with MS compared with healthy controls. Analysis of real-time PCR results has shown down-regulation of SNHG5 and DANCR in MS patients compared with controls. Sex of study participants had no significant effect on expression of either genes and the interaction of sex and disease on expression levels of all studied genes were insignificant. There was a significant negative correlation between expression levels of MTOR gene and disease duration. No other significant correlations were detected between genes expressions and clinical/demographic data. SNHG5 and DANCR transcript levels had AUC values of 0.88 and 0.68 in separation of patients with MS from healthy controls, respectively. Taken together, our study suggests participation of two mTOR-related lncRNAs, i.e. SNHG5 and DANCR in the pathophysiology of MS.
Insights
This study found that two mTOR-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), SNHG5 and DANCR, are down-regulated in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, suggesting their role in MS pathophysiology.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway regulates immune cell differentiation and immune responses.
- mTOR is implicated in autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their roles in complex diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression levels of mTOR and four associated lncRNAs (SNHG1, SNHG3, SNHG5, DANCR) in peripheral blood of MS patients.
- To explore the correlation between gene expression and clinical/demographic data in MS.
- To assess the diagnostic potential of these lncRNAs in distinguishing MS patients from healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to measure gene expression.
- Peripheral blood samples were collected from patients with MS and healthy controls.
- Statistical analyses were performed to assess gene expression differences, correlations, and diagnostic accuracy (AUC).
Main Results:
- Down-regulation of SNHG5 and DANCR was observed in MS patients compared to controls.
- A significant negative correlation was found between mTOR gene expression and MS disease duration.
- SNHG5 and DANCR showed good (AUC=0.88) and moderate (AUC=0.68) diagnostic potential, respectively.
Conclusions:
- The study suggests the involvement of mTOR-related lncRNAs, specifically SNHG5 and DANCR, in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis.
- These lncRNAs may serve as potential biomarkers for MS.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms of these lncRNAs in MS pathogenesis.
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