Hsa-miR-1276 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells as a potential biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis

Area of Science:

• * Immunology and Molecular Biology.
• * Autoimmune Disease Research.
• * Biomarker Discovery and Diagnostics.

Background:

• * Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease causing inflammation and joint destruction.
• * MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in autoimmune diseases, but their roles in RA are not fully understood.
• * Identifying specific miRNAs for RA diagnosis is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To identify and validate differentially expressed miRNAs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of RA patients.
• * To evaluate the diagnostic potential of identified miRNAs as biomarkers for RA.
• * To investigate the clinical relevance of specific miRNAs in RA pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

• * RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was employed to screen for differentially expressed miRNAs in PBMCs from RA patients and healthy controls (HCs).
• * Candidate miRNAs were validated using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in an independent cohort.
• * Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess diagnostic accuracy.

Main Results:

• * RNA-seq identified 103 differentially expressed miRNAs (34 upregulated, 69 downregulated) in RA patients compared to HCs.
• * RT-qPCR confirmed significant upregulation of hsa-miR-1276, hsa-miR-4433a-5p, and hsa-miR-409-3p in RA patients' PBMCs.
• * Hsa-miR-1276 demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.9726.

Conclusions:

• * Hsa-miR-1276 is significantly upregulated in the PBMCs of RA patients.
• * Hsa-miR-1276 exhibits promising diagnostic potential for rheumatoid arthritis.
• * Hsa-miR-1276 may serve as a novel and reliable biomarker for RA diagnosis.