Plasma Levels of MicroRNA-146a-5p, MicroRNA-24-3p, and MicroRNA125a-5p as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Fatemeh  Safari; Elia  Damavand; Abdol-Rahman  Rostamian; Shafieh  Movassaghi; Zeinab  Imani-Saber; Mojtaba  Saffari; Majid  Kabuli; Mohsen  Ghadami

doi:10.18502/ijaai.v20i3.6334

Fatemeh Safari Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Elia Damavand Specialized Medical Genetic Center, Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research (ACECR), Tehran University of Medical Sciences Branch, Tehran, Iran
Abdol-Rahman Rostamian Department of Rheumatology, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Shafieh Movassaghi Department of Rheumatology, Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Zeinab Imani-Saber Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mojtaba Saffari Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Majid Kabuli Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohsen Ghadami Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijaai.v20i3.6334

Keywords: MiR-146a; MiR-24-3p; Rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by inflammation of the articular tissue. This study aims to evaluate the expression of microRNA (miR)-146a-5p, miR-24-3p, and miR-125a-5p in the plasma of RA patients and compare them with those of healthy controls to obtain a specific expression profile for earlier diagnosis and assistance in treating patients. This study was performed on 50 RA patients and 50 healthy controls. Five microliters of blood were taken from each patient/control. Plasma RNA was extracted using the Trisol solution. cDNAs were synthesized; using moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) and deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP). Real-time PCR was performed using SYBR green kit. The mean expression of miR-146a-5p, miR-24-3p, and miR-125a-5p in the RA group were 8.1±1.9, 6.5±1.2, and 6.8±2.2 and in the healthy group were 4.8±1.6, 3.6±2.2, and 3.4±1.7, respectively. Significant differences were also observed in the mean expression of these three miRNAs in four subgroups of RA patients with different disease activity based on disease activity score 28 (DAS28) (p<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that miR-146a-5p (AUC=0.8, sensitivity=96%, specificity=86%), miR-24-3p (AUC=0.7, Sensitivity=95%, Specificity=75%) and miR-125a-5p (AUC=0.71, sensitivity=93%, specificity=84%) could be used as suitable biomarkers for RA diagnosis. Increased expressions of miR-146a-5p, miR-24-3p, and miR-125a-5p in RA patients indicate that the miRNAs are involved in disease incidence and progression, and the measurement of their expression can play an essential role in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.