Association between the expression of peripheral plasma microRNAs and the risk of coronary heart disease

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of peripheral plasma miRNA-133a, miRNA-208a and miRNA-499a in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods The 290 CHD patients and 110 controls subjects were enrolled in this study.Peripheral blood of all subjects and their clinical data were collected.Plasma miRNA-133a, miRNA-208a and miRNA-499a levels were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis and their expressions were furtherly analyzed. Results (1)Compared with control group, the expression of plasma miRNA-133a [0.62(0.32-0.92) vs.0.39(0.21-0.72), Z=8.80], miRNA-208a [5.85(2.31-9.78) vs.5.06(2.17-9.13), Z=2.32] and miRNA-499a [5.07(2.08-9.54) vs.3.12(1.96-5.03), Z=10.08] were significantly increased in CHD group (all P<0.01). (2)CHD patients were further divided into four groups according to Gensini score.The expression levels of plasma miRNA-133a [0.36(0.21-0.66) vs.0.48(0.36-0.85) vs.0.60(0.42-0.87) vs.0.70(0.56-0.92), H=64.84], miRNA-208a [4.99(2.17-6.73) vs.5.16(3.56-8.04) vs.5.85(4.31-8.63) vs.6.18(4.84-9.78), H=21.54], and miRNA-499a [2.94(1.96-4.93) vs.3.55(2.02-6.63) vs.4.51(2.38-7.54) vs.6.24(4.08-9.54), H=89.70] were significantly difference among those groups (all P<0.01), and positively correlated with severity of coronary artery stenosis (miRNA-133a: r=0.343, miRNA-208a: r=0.395, miRNA-499a: r=0.410, all P<0.01). Conclusions There is significant difference between CHD and control groups in the expressions of peripheral plasma miRNA-133a, miRNA-208a and miRNA-499a.In addition, the expression levels and Gensini Score-severity of coronary artery stenosis is positively correlated. Key words: MicroRNAs (miRNAs); Coronary artery disease; Reverse transcription; Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Gensini score