MiR-323b-5p acts as a novel diagnostic biomarker for critical limb ischemia in type 2 diabetic patients

Electrochemical detection of miRNA using commercial and hand-made screen-printed electrodes: liquid biopsy for cancer management as case of study

The growth of liquid biopsy, i. e., the possibility of obtaining health information by analysing circulating species (nucleic acids, cells, proteins, and vesicles) in peripheric biofluids, is pushing the field of sensors and biosensors beyond the limit to provide decentralised solutions for nonspecialists. In particular, among all the circulating species that can be adopted in managing cancer evolution, both for diagnostic and prognostic applications, microRNAs have been highly studied and detected. The development of electrochemical devices is particularly relevant for liquid biopsy purposes, and the screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) represent one of the building blocks for producing novel portable devices. In this work, we have taken miR-2115-3p as model target (it is related to lung cancer), and we have developed a biosensor by exploiting the use of a complementary DNA probe modified with methylene blue as redox mediator. In particular, the chosen sensing architecture was applied to serum measurements of the selected miRNA, obtaining a detection limit within the low nanomolar range; in addition, various platforms were interrogated, namely commercial and hand-made SPEs, with the aim of providing the reader with some insights about the optimal platform to be used by considering both the cost and the analytical performance.

Expression of microRNAs in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are noncoding RNAs that play a central role in governing various physiological and pathological processes. There are few studies on miRNA involvement in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In this study, we performed a meta-analysis of the miRNA expression profiling from GDM patients.

METHODS

Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols, we performed a systematic search of the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases from inception to December 20, 2021, to retrieve the original research studies. All the relevant data were retrieved, analyzed, and summarized.

RESULTS

Six studies (252 GDM cases and 309 controls) were included and analyzed. The six studies reported the expressions of 21 miRNAs in GDM cases. Of the 21 miRNAs, 12 miRNAs were found to be upregulated, and two were downregulated. The top three most consistently reported upregulated miRNAs were miR-16-5p (mean differences of fold change are 1.25, 95% CI = 0.04-2.46, P = 0.040), miR-19a-3p (mean differences of fold change are 2.90, 95% CI = 1.45-4.35, P = 0.001), and miR-19b-3p (mean differences of fold change are 3.10, 95% CI = 0.94-5.25, P = 0.005). miR-155-5p and miR-21-3p were found to be downregulated.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that several miRNAs may be used as markers for diabetes gestational diabetes mellitus. In the future, more studies are needed to validate the findings of our study.

Dysregulated Genes, MicroRNAs, Biological Pathways, and Gastrocnemius Muscle Fiber Types Associated With Progression of Peripheral Artery Disease: A Preliminary Analysis

Background Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is associated with gastrocnemius muscle abnormalities. However, the biological pathways associated with gastrocnemius muscle dysfunction and their associations with progression of PAD are largely unknown. This study characterized differential gene and microRNA (miRNA) expression in gastrocnemius biopsies from people without PAD compared with those with PAD. Participants with PAD included those with and without PAD progression. Methods and Results mRNA and miRNA sequencing were performed to identify differentially expressed genes, differentially expressed miRNAs, mRNA-miRNA interactions, and associated biological pathways for 3 sets of comparisons: (1) PAD progression (n=7) versus non-PAD (n=7); (2) PAD no progression (n=6) versus non-PAD; and (3) PAD progression versus PAD no progression. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine gastrocnemius muscle fiber types and muscle fiber size. Differentially expressed genes and differentially expressed miRNAs were more abundant in the comparison of PAD progression versus non-PAD compared with PAD with versus without progression. Among the top significant cellular pathways in subjects with PAD progression were muscle contraction or development, transforming growth factor-beta, growth/differentiation factor, and activin signaling, inflammation, cellular senescence, and notch signaling. Subjects with PAD progression had increased frequency of smaller Type 2a gastrocnemius muscle fibers in exploratory analyses. Conclusions Humans with PAD progression exhibited greater differences in the number of gene and miRNA expression, biological pathways, and Type 2a muscle fiber size compared with those without PAD. Fewer differences were observed between people with PAD without progression and control patients without PAD. Further study is needed to confirm whether the identified transcripts may serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosis and progression of PAD.

Integrated bioinformatics analysis for novel miRNAs markers and ceRNA network in diabetic retinopathy

In order to seek a more outstanding diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR), we predicted the miRNA biomarkers of DR and explored the pathological mechanism of DR through bioinformatics analysis.

Method: Based on public omics data and databases, we investigated ncRNA (non-coding RNA) functions based on the ceRNA hypothesis.

Result: Among differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs), hsa-miR-1179, -4797-3p and -665 may be diagnosis biomarkers of DR. Functional enrichment analysis revealed differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) enriched in mitochondrial transport, cellular respiration and energy derivation. 18 tissue/organ-specific expressed genes, 10 hub genes and gene cluster modules were identified. The ceRNA networks lncRNA FBXL19-AS1/miR-378f/MRPL39 and lncRNA UBL7-AS1/miR-378f/MRPL39 might be potential RNA regulatory pathways in DR.

Conclusion: Differentially expressed hsa-miR-1179, -4797-3p and -665 can be used as powerful markers for DR diagnosis, and the ceRNA network: lncRNA FBXL19-AS1/UBL7-AS1-miR-378f-MRPL39 may represent an important regulatory role in DR progression.

Subunits of C1Q Are Associated With the Progression of Intermittent Claudication to Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia

Background

The pathophysiological mechanisms of intermittent claudication (IC) progression to chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) are still vague and which of patients with IC will become CLTI are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the key molecules and pathways mediating IC progression to CLTI by a quantitative bioinformatic analysis of a public RNA-sequencing database of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) to screen biomarkers discriminating IC and CLTI.

Methods

The GSE120642 dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between IC and CLTI tissues were analyzed using the “edgeR” packages of R. The Gene Ontology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were performed to explore the functions of DEGs. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were established by the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database and visualized by Cytoscape software. Hub genes were selected by plugin cytoHubba. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed and the receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the predictive values of hub genes.

Results

A total of 137 upregulated and 21 downregulated DEGs were identified. Functional enrichment clustering analysis revealed a significant association between DEGs and the complement and coagulation cascade pathways. The PPI network was constructed with 155 nodes and 105 interactions. The most significantly enriched pathway was complement activation. C1QB, C1QA, C1QC, C4A, and C1R were identified and validated as hub genes due to the high degree of connectivity. The area under the curve values for the five hub genes were greater than 0.95, indicating high accuracy for discriminating IC and CLTI.

Conclusion

The complement activation pathway is associated with IC progression to CLTI. C1QB, C1QA, C1QC, C4A, and C1R might serve as potential early biomarkers of CLTI.

Relationships between Indicators of Lower Extremity Artery Disease and miRNA Expression in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Lower extremity artery disease (LEAD) is an underdiagnosed and globally underestimated vascular disease caused by the progressive and chronic formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries of the lower limbs. Much evidence indicates that the abnormal course of pathophysiological processes underlying LEAD development is associated with altered miRNA modulatory function. In the presented study, relationships between miRNA expression and clinical indicators of this disease (ABI, claudication distance, length of arterial occlusion, Rutherford category, and plaque localization) were identified. MiRNA expression profiles were obtained using next-generation sequencing in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 40 LEAD patients. Correlation analysis performed using the Spearman rank correlation test revealed miRNAs related to ABI, claudication distance, and length of arterial occlusion. In the DESeq2 analysis, five miRNAs were found to be dysregulated in patients with Rutherford category 3 compared to patients with Rutherford category 2. No miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed between patients with different plaque localizations. Functional analysis performed using the miRNet 2.0 website tool determined associations of selected miRNAs with processes underlying vascular pathology, such as vascular smooth muscle cell differentiation, endothelial cell apoptosis, response to hypoxia, inflammation, lipid metabolism, and circadian rhythm. The most enriched functional terms for genes targeted by associated miRNAs were linked to regulation of the cell cycle, regulation of the transcription process, and nuclear cellular compartment. In conclusion, dysregulations of miRNA expression in PBMCs of patients with LEAD are indicative of the disease and could potentially be used in the prediction of LEAD progression.

MicroRNAs in peripheral artery disease: potential biomarkers and pathophysiological mechanisms

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a disease of atherosclerosis in the lower extremities. PAD carries a massive burden worldwide, while diagnosis and treatment options are often lacking. One of the key points of research in recent years is the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs), which are short 20-25 nucleotide single-stranded RNAs that can act as negative regulators of post-transcriptional gene expression. Many of these miRNAs have been discovered to be misregulated in PAD patients, suggesting a potential utility as biomarkers for PAD diagnosis. miRNAs have also been shown to play an important role in many different pathophysiological aspects involved in the initiation and progression of the disease including angiogenesis, hypoxia, inflammation, as well as other cellular functions like cell proliferation and migration. The research on miRNAs in PAD has the potential to lead to a whole new class of diagnostic tools and treatments.

Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the 3' Untranslated Region of CORIN Associated With Cardiovascular Diseases in a Chinese Han Population: A Case-Control Study

Background: Corin is a transmembrane serine protease that activates pro-forms of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides. Numerous studies have indicated that corin played an important role in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, there have been few studies about the correlation between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of CORIN and CVDs. The aims of this study were to investigate the associations of three SNPs (rs3749585, rs4695253, and rs12641823) in the 3'UTR of CORIN with CVDs and to find the seed regions of microRNAs (miRNAs) that bind to SNPs of CORIN.

Methods and Results: A case–control study (n = 3,537) was performed in a Han population of northeastern China. CVDs included essential hypertension (EH), atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), and coronary artery disease (CAD). Genotyping was performed using high-resolution melt analysis. In the EH-control study, rs3749585^T was significantly associated with the risk of EH after adjusting for sex and age in allelic (p_adj = 0.049; OR: 1.113) and dominant (p_adj = 0.015, OR: 1.233) models. Rs4695253^T was significantly associated with the risk of EH in the recessive model after adjusting for sex and age (p_adj = 0.005, OR: 2.084). Rs3749585^T was significantly and negatively associated with AF in the dominant and additive models after adjusting for sex, age, EH, HF, T2DM, and CAD (dominant: p_adj = 0.009, OR: 0.762; additive: p_adj = 0.048, OR: 0.873). In the HF-control study and CAD-control study, none of the three SNPs was associated with HF and CAD after adjusting for covariates in any models (p_adj > 0.05). The levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in rs4695253^CC+CT were lower than the levels of HDL in rs4695253^TT (42.47 ± 10.30 vs. 48.0 ± 10.24 mg/dl, p_adj = 0.008). The levels of total cholesterol (TC) in rs4695253^CC+CT were lower than the levels of TC in rs4695253^TT (164.01 ± 49.15 vs. 180.81 ± 43.92 mg/dl, p_adj = 0.036). Luciferase assay revealed that the relative luciferase activity of rs3749585^CC-transfected cells was significantly decreased by miR-494-3p, in comparison to cells transfected with rs3749585^TT (p < 0.001). A significant decrease in the relative luciferase activity of rs3749585^TT reporter was observed as compared with rs3749585^CC reporter in the presence of miR-1323 or miR-548o-3p (p = 0.017 and 0.012, respectively).

Conclusions: We found significant associations between rs3749585^T and rs4695253^T and EH, between rs4695253^T and the levels of TC and HDL, and between rs3749585^T and AF. Hsa-miR-494-3p may serve as a potential therapeutic target for EH and AF patients in the future.

Protection against peripheral artery disease injury by Ruan Jian Qing Mai formula via metabolic programming

Ruan Jian Qing Mai formula (RJQM), a multicomponent herbal formula, has been widely used to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in China. However, its active compounds and mechanisms of action are still unknown. First, RNA sequencing analysis of 15 healthy and 16 PAD samples showed that 524 PAD differential genes were significantly enriched in Go Ontology (ribonucleotide metabolic process, oxidoreductase complex, and electron transfer activity), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and GSEA pathways (OXPHOS and TCA cycle), miRNA (MIR183), and kinase (PAK6). Fifty-three active ingredients in RJQM had similar structures to the seven drug molecules in CLUE. Then, network topology analysis of the 53 components-target-pathway-disease network yielded 10 active ingredients. Finally, computational toxicity estimations showed that the median lethal dose (LD50) of the 10 active ingredients was above 1000 mg/kg, and eight of them did not cause hepatotoxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, cytotoxicity, and immunotoxicity nor activate 12 toxic pathways. In conclusion, RJQM has a protection effect on PAD by regulating a complex molecular network. Part of the mechanism is associated with the regulation of OXPHOS by 10 active components, which may alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction and pathological metabolic programming.

Recent Highlights of Research on miRNAs as Early Potential Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Complications of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications pose a serious threat to the life and health of patients around the world. The most dangerous complications of this disease are vascular complications. Microvascular complications of T2DM include retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy. In turn, macrovascular complications include coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and cerebrovascular disease. The currently used diagnostic methods do not ensure detection of the disease at an early stage, and they also do not predict the risk of developing specific complications. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, endogenous, noncoding molecules that are involved in key processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Recent research has assigned them an important role as potential biomarkers for detecting complications related to diabetes. We suggest that utilizing miRNAs can be a routine approach for early diagnosis and prognosis of diseases and may enable the development of better therapeutic approaches. In this paper, we conduct a review of the latest reports demonstrating the usefulness of miRNAs as biomarkers in the vascular complications of T2DM.

Cell Therapy for Critical Limb Ischemia: Advantages, Limitations, and New Perspectives for Treatment of Patients with Critical Diabetic Vasculopathy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To provide a highlight of the current state of cell therapy for the treatment of critical limb ischemia in patients with diabetes.

RECENT FINDINGS

The global incidence of diabetes is constantly growing with consequent challenges for healthcare systems worldwide. In the UK only, NHS costs attributed to diabetic complications, such as peripheral vascular disease, amputation, blindness, renal failure, and stroke, average £10 billion each year, with cost pressure being estimated to get worse. Although giant leaps forward have been registered in the scope of early diagnosis and optimal glycaemic control, an effective treatment for critical limb ischemia is still lacking. The present review aims to provide an update of the ongoing work in the field of regenerative medicine. Recent advancements but also limitations imposed by diabetes on the potential of the approach are addressed. In particular, the review focuses on the perturbation of non-coding RNA networks in progenitor cells and the possibility of using emerging knowledge on molecular mechanisms to design refined protocols for personalized therapy. The field of cell therapy showed rapid progress but has limitations. Significant advances are foreseen in the upcoming years thanks to a better understanding of molecular bottlenecks associated with the metabolic disorders.

Differential Expression of miR-136 in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Mediates the High-Glucose-Induced Trophoblast Cell Injury through Targeting E2F1

Background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) seriously affects the health of mothers and infants. The high-glucose-induced inhibition in trophoblast cell viability is an important event in GDM pathogenesis. This study evaluated the expression and clinical significance of miR-136 in GDM patients, and the biological function and related mechanisms of miR-136 in the regulation of trophoblast cell proliferation were explored.

Methods

The expression of miR-136 in serum and placenta of GDM patients was measured using quantitative Real-Time PCR. Trophoblast cells were stimulated with high-glucose medium to mimic the pathological changes of GDM, and the effect of miR-136 was examined by CCK-8 assay. A luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the target gene of miR-136, and the relationship of E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) with miR-136 in GDM was further analyzed.

Results

miR-136 expression was significantly elevated in GDM serum and tissue samples. By high-glucose treatment, trophoblast cell proliferation was inhibited and miR-136 expression was promoted. The knockdown of miR-136 could promote the proliferation of trophoblast cells exposed to high glucose, whereas the overexpression of miR-136 could suppress it. In addition, E2F1 was identified as a target gene of miR-136, which could mediate the regulatory effect of miR-136 on trophoblast cell proliferation.

Conclusion

Collectively, miR-136 expression is increased in both serum and placental tissues in GDM patients, and miR-136 mediates the inhibiting effect of high glucose on trophoblast cell viability by targeting E2F1.

MicroRNA Profile of Patients with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) results in devastating complications such as lower-limb amputations. In this study, a genome-wide plasma microRNAs (miRNA) sequencing was performed to identify miRNA(s) associated with CLTI. Blood samples were collected from early stage CLTI patients (ABI < 0.9) and non-PAD controls (ABI ≥ 0.9) for 3 experiments: discovery phase (n = 23), confirmatory phase (n = 52) and validation phase (n = 20). In the discovery phase, next generation sequencing (NGS) was used to identify miRNA circulating in the plasma CLTI (n = 13) patients, compared to non-PAD controls (n = 10). Two down-regulated miRNAs (miRNA-6843-3p and miRNA-6766-5p) and three upregulated miRNAs (miRNA-1827, miRNA-320 and miRNA-98-3p) were identified (≥2-fold change). In the confirmatory phase, these 5 deregulated miRNAs were further investigated in non-PAD (n = 21) and CTLI (n = 31) patients using qRT-PCR. Only miRNA-1827 was found to be significantly upregulated (≥3-fold, p-value < 0. 001) in the CLTI group. Lastly, to minimize the influence of confounding factors, miRNA-1827 plasma levels were validated in a third cohort of CLTI patients (n = 10) matched to non-PAD controls (n = 10). Our analysis demonstrated that miRNA-1827 expression was increased in the CLTI cohort (≥2-folds, p-value < 0.001). In summary, circulating miRNA-1827 is significantly elevated in patients with CLTI.

Non-coding RNAs in neuropathic pain

Neuro-immune alterations in the peripheral and central nervous system play a role in the pathophysiology of chronic pain in general, and members of the non-coding RNA (ncRNA) family, specifically the short, 22 nucleotide microRNAs (miRNAs) and the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) act as master switches orchestrating both immune as well as neuronal processes. Several chronic disorders reveal unique ncRNA expression signatures, which recently generated big hopes for new perspectives for the development of diagnostic applications. lncRNAs may offer perspectives as candidates indicative of neuropathic pain in liquid biopsies. Numerous studies have provided novel mechanistic insight into the role of miRNAs in the molecular sequelae involved in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain along the entire pain pathway. Specific processes within neurons, immune cells, and glia as the cellular components of the neuropathic pain triad and the communication paths between them are controlled by specific miRNAs. Therefore, nucleotide sequences mimicking or antagonizing miRNA actions can provide novel therapeutic strategies for pain treatment, provided their human homologues serve the same or similar functions. Increasing evidence also sheds light on the function of lncRNAs, which converge so far mainly on purinergic signalling pathways both in neurons and glia, and possibly even other ncRNA species that have not been explored so far.