The correlation of plasma microRNA-200 family expressions with risk and disease severity of lupus nephritis.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether plasma microRNA-200 family expressions could serve as diagnostic biomarkers in patients with lupus nephritis (LN), and their association with disease severity.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

101 adult LN patients and 100 adult health volunteers were recruited in our study. A blood sample was obtained from all participants, and total RNA was extracted from plasma. Real-time PCR was performed to evaluate the relative expression of microRNA (miRNA). SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) score was calculated to evaluate the overall disease severity.

RESULTS

Plasma miR-200b-5p, miR-141-5p, and miR-200c-5p expressions were decreased in LN patients compared to that in health controls (HCs). Multivariate logistic regression model revealed that plasma miR-200b-5p, miR-141-5p, and miR-200c-5p expressions were independent protective factors for predicting LN states. Receiver operating curve (ROC) was conducted to assess the diagnostic value of miR-200b-5p, miR-141-5p, and miR-200c-5p, and they revealed good diagnostic value with the area under curve (AUC) of 0.748, 0.748, 0.723, respectively. When miR-200b-5p, miR-141-5p, and miR-200c-5p are combined each other, the AUC increased to 0.936, suggesting a great diagnostic value of LN. Also, plasma miR-141-5p was observed to be negatively associated with serum creatinine and SLEDAI score, and the inverse correlations were found of miR-200c-5p with SLEDAI score, as well as miR-200b-3p with proteinuria.

CONCLUSIONS

Circulating miR-200b-5p, miR-141-5p, and miR-200c-5p expressions could be served as novel and convincing diagnostic biomarkers for LN.