Abstract
Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis syndrome related to immune dysregulation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate the expression of protein-coding genes, and have been used as a biomarker for the diagnosis of various diseases. This study was designed to identify plasma miRNAs changed in patients with acute stage of KD and to identify candidate miRNAs. Methods: A total of ten children, ranged from 9 months to 5 years old, with acute stage of KD were enrolled. The profiles of plasma miRNAs were analyzed by miRNA arrays. The miRNAs of interest identified by array were confirmed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: In comparison with the convalescent stage, plasma miR-10a (ten of ten) and miR-155 (eight of ten) were significantly down-regulated during the acute stage of KD. Pathway analysis of the combinatorial effects of these two microRNAs (DIANA miRPath) indicated the genes involved in the T-cell receptor signaling pathway (p.= 2.604015e-05), the MAPK signaling pathway (p.=4.541392e-05) and the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway (p.= 0.0001528698) that were highly co-regulated by these two miRNAs. Conclusions: This is the first report of uncovering circulating miRNAs involved in patients with acute stage of KD. The results of this study indicated that the miRNAs might play a crucial role in the immune dysregulation of acute KD. Further studies and more KD patients should be investigated to elucidate the roles and as biomarkers of these miRNAs for early diagnosis of acute KD. Keywords: Biomarker, Children, Kawasaki Disease, MicroRNAs
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