Modified high-throughput quantification of plasma microRNAs in heparinized patients with coronary artery disease using heparinase

MicroRNA-155 and exosomal microRNA-155: Small pieces in the cardiovascular diseases puzzle

MicroRNAs (miRs, miRNAs) are known to have a part in various human illnesses, such as those related to the heart. One particular miRNA, miR-155, has been extensively studied and has been found to be involved in hematopoietic lineage differentiation, immunity, viral infections, inflammation, as well as vascular remodeling. These processes have all been connected to cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure, diabetic heart disease, coronary artery disease, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. The impacts of miR-155 depend on the type of cell it is acting on and the specific target genes involved, resulting in different mechanisms of disease. Although, the exact part of miR-155 in cardiovascular illnesses is yet not fully comprehended, as some studies have shown it to promote the development of atherosclerosis while others have shown it to prevent it. As a result, to comprehend the underlying processes of miR-155 in cardiovascular disorders, further thorough study is required. It has been discovered that exosomes that could be absorbed by adjacent or distant cells, control post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by focusing on mRNA. Exosomal miRNAs have been found to have a range of functions, including participating in inflammatory reactions, cell movement, growth, death, autophagy, as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition. An increasing amount of research indicates that exosomal miRNAs are important for cardiovascular health and have a major role in the development of a number of cardiovascular disorders, including pulmonary hypertension, atherosclerosis, acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Herein the role of miR-155 and its exosomal form in heart diseases are summarized.

MicroRNA-146a Serves as a Biomarker for Adverse Prognosis of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Objective

This study is aimed at exploring the underlying molecular mechanisms of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and provides potential clinical prognostic biomarkers for STEMI.

Methods

The GSE60993 dataset was downloaded from the GEO database, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between STEMI and control groups were screened. Enrichment analysis of the DEGs was subsequently performed using the DAVID database. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed, and hub genes were identified. The hub genes in patients were then validated by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Furthermore, hub gene-miRNA interactions were evaluated using the miRTarBase database. Finally, patient data on classical cardiovascular risk factors were collected, and plasma microRNA-146a (miR-146a) levels were detected. An individualized nomogram was constructed based on multivariate Cox regression analysis.

Results

A total of 239 DEGs were identified between the STEMI and control groups. Expression of S100A12 and miR-146a was significantly upregulated in STEMI samples compared with controls. STEMI patients with high levels of miR-146a had a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) than those with low levels of miR-146a (log-rank P = 0.034). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified five statistically significant variables, including age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, white blood cells, and miR-146a. A nomogram was constructed to estimate the likelihood of a MACE at one, two, and three years after STEMI.

Conclusion

The incidence of MACEs in STEMI patients expressing high levels of miR-146a was significantly greater than in those expressing low levels. MicroRNA-146a can serve as a biomarker for adverse prognosis of STEMI and might function in its pathogenesis by targeting S100A12, which may exert its role via an inflammatory response. In addition, our study presents a valid and practical model to assess the probability of MACEs within three years of STEMI.

Peripheral blood microRNAs and the COVID-19 patient: methodological considerations, technical challenges and practice points

The COVID-19 emergency pandemic resulting from infection with SARS-CoV-2 represents a major threat to public health worldwide. There is an urgent clinical demand for easily accessible tools to address weaknesses and gaps in the management of COVID-19 patients. In this context, transcriptomic profiling of liquid biopsies, especially microRNAs (miRNAs), has recently emerged as a robust source of potential clinical indicators for medical decision-making. Nevertheless, the analysis of the circulating miRNA signature and its translation to clinical practice requires strict control of a wide array of methodological details. In this review, we indicate the main methodological aspects that should be addressed when evaluating the circulating miRNA profiles in COVID-19 patients, from preanalytical and analytical variables to the experimental design, impact of confounding, analysis of the data and interpretation of the findings, among others. Additionally, we provide practice points to ensure the rigour and reproducibility of miRNA-based biomarker investigations of this condition.Abbreviations: ACE: angiotensin-converting enzyme; ARDS: acute respiratory distress syndrome; COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019; ERDN: early Detection Research Network; LMWH: low molecular weight heparin; miRNA: microRNA; ncRNA: noncoding RNA; SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2; SOP: standard operating procedure.

Practical Procedures for Improving Detection of Circulating miRNAs in Cardiovascular Diseases

Hemolysis has been known to affect the measurement of circulating biomarkers. In this study, clinically applicable procedures for microRNA (miRNA) detection in serum samples of acute myocardial infarction patients were established. The 89 samples from patients admitted to the coronary care unit were collected. These samples obtained from heparin-treated and untreated patients were subjected to heparinase digestion prior to miRNA measurements by multiplex RT-qPCR. The good reproducibility of miRNA detection after heparinase digestion (average R2 = 0.97) indicated that this method can be used routinely for samples regardless of heparin medication. Additionally, the degree of hemolysis in these samples was highly related to the hemoglobin absorbance at 414 nm. Based on the hemoglobin absorbance, five hemolysis-associated miRNAs were identified in our data normalized with respect to both the spike-in control and the RNA amount in a given sample. Using these calibration procedures, miRNAs can be accurately quantified and identified for clinical samples. Graphical Abstract The practical procedures for miRNA detection in serum samples from the coronary care unit were established, and five hemolysis-associated miRNAs were accurately clarified through serial normalization.

Circulating microRNA in Heart Failure - Practical Guidebook to Clinical Application

Heart failure (HF) remains a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Currently, B-type natriuretic peptide and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide are diagnostic biomarkers used in HF. Although very sensitive, they are not specific enough and do not allow the prediction or early diagnosis of HF. Many ongoing studies focus on determining the underlying cause and understanding the mechanisms of HF on the cellular level. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs which control the majority of cellular processes and therefore are considered to have a potential clinical application in HF. In this review, we aim to provide synthesized information about miRNAs associated with ejection fraction, HF etiology, diagnosis, and prognosis, as well as outline therapeutic application of miRNAs in HF. Further, we discuss methodological challenges associated with the analysis of miRNAs and provide recommendations for defining a study population, collecting blood samples, and selecting detection methods to study miRNAs in a reliable and reproducible way. This review is intended to be an accessible tool for clinicians interested in the field of miRNAs and HF.

Challenges in Using Circulating Micro-RNAs as Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Diseases

Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) play a pivotal role in the development and physiology of the cardiovascular system while they have been associated with multiple cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Several cardiac miRNAs are detectable in circulation (circulating miRNAs; c-miRNAs) and are emerging as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for CVDs. c-miRNAs exhibit numerous essential characteristics of biomarkers while they are extremely stable in circulation, their expression is tissue-/disease-specific, and they can be easily detected using sequence-specific amplification methods. These features of c-miRNAs are helpful in the development of non-invasive assays to monitor the progress of CVDs. Despite significant progress in the detection of c-miRNAs in serum and plasma, there are many contradictory publications on the alterations of cardiac c-miRNAs concentration in circulation. The aim of this review is to examine the pre-analytical and analytical factors affecting the quantification of c-miRNAs and provide general guidelines to increase the accuracy of the diagnostic tests in order to improve future research on cardiac c-miRNAs.