Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 1, 2025
Isolation and Profiling of MicroRNA-containing Exosomes from Human Bile
Published on: June 13, 2016
Plasma Exosome-Derived microRNAs Profiles in Patients with Serofast Status: A Cross-Sectional Study
Jinquan Liu1, Ruihua Zhang1, Tingting Lian2
1Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, National Center for STD Control, China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanjing, 210042, People's Republic of China.
Purpose:
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection caused by Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum), which can lead to chronic morbidity and adverse complications. In clinical practice, serofast status (SF) patients present with clinical symptoms that are very similar to those of healthy individuals or syphilis-cured patients, and often require prolonged follow-up for diagnosis. Currently, there is increasing interest in the potential of plasma exosome-derived miRNA as a biomarker for the detection of infectious diseases. In this study, we aimed to explore the diagnostic potential of miRNA in SF and its possible biological implications.
Patients And Methods:
Exosome-derived miRNAs were isolated from peripheral plasma samples obtained from 20 patients with secondary syphilis (SS), SF, serologically cured syphilis (SC), and healthy controls (HC), and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were identified by microarray analysis. Prediction of potential target genes, functional annotation, gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were then performed. The expression of selected miRNAs was confirmed in 37 patients by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of these miRNAs in differentiating syphilis from HC or SC.
Results:
The expression profile of plasma exosome-derived miRNA was discovered in individuals with SF through microarray analysis. The targeted genes of DEmiRNAs were found to be involved in diverse biological processes according to GO and KEGG analysis, such as regulation of transcription, mitochondria, Golgi, immune system, apoptosis, Ras signaling pathway, etc. Using RT-qPCR validation, miR-1273g-3p, miR-4485-5p, miR-197-3p, and miR-1908-3p showed significant upregulation in patients with SF. These miRNAs exhibited a superior diagnostic ability, either individually or combined, to distinguish SF from SC or HC.
Conclusion:
The DEmiRNAs in plasma exosomes may play a role in the pathogenesis of SF and have the potential to become a noble and effective diagnostic method.
Insights
Plasma exosome-derived microRNAs show promise as biomarkers for detecting syphilis serofast status. These microRNAs can help differentiate syphilis patients from healthy individuals or those cured of the infection.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Syphilis, caused by *Treponema pallidum*, is a significant sexually transmitted infection.
- Serofast status (SF) in syphilis patients presents diagnostic challenges due to overlapping symptoms with healthy or cured individuals.
- Plasma exosome-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as potential biomarkers for infectious diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the diagnostic potential of plasma exosome-derived miRNAs in identifying serofast syphilis.
- To explore the biological implications of differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) in serofast syphilis patients.
Main Methods:
- Plasma samples from secondary syphilis (SS), SF, serologically cured (SC) syphilis, and healthy controls (HC) were analyzed for exosome-derived miRNAs using microarray.
- Differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were identified, and their target genes were analyzed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways.
- Selected miRNA expression was validated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and diagnostic performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.
Main Results:
- Microarray analysis identified distinct miRNA expression profiles in SF patients.
- GO and KEGG analyses revealed DEmiRNA targets involved in crucial biological processes like immune response and cell signaling.
- RT-qPCR confirmed significant upregulation of miR-1273g-3p, miR-4485-5p, miR-197-3p, and miR-1908-3p in SF patients.
- These miRNAs demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing SF from SC or HC.
Conclusions:
- Plasma exosome-derived DEmiRNAs are potential biomarkers for serofast syphilis.
- These miRNAs may contribute to the pathogenesis of serofast syphilis.
- The identified miRNAs offer a promising avenue for developing novel and effective diagnostic methods for syphilis serofast status.
