Expression and Significance of MicroRNA-126 and MicroRNA-21 in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the expression and significance of microRNA-126, microRNA-21, FOXP3mRNA, acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR-Ab), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in peripheral blood of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). Methods: From September 2015 to March 2018, 60 patients with MG who were first diagnosed as MG were selected as the MG group, and 50 healthy people in the same period were selected as the normal group. RT-PCR technology was used to detect the relative expression of microRNA-126, microRNA-21, and FOXP3mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the MG group and the control group. The EILISA and IPA technique was used to detect the expression levels of IL-6 and AChR-Ab in the peripheral serum of the 2 groups. Results: There were no differences between groups regarding patient’s characteristics and baseline data. microRNA-21 and microRNA-126 are highly conserved in the human genome. microRNA-21, microRNA-126, FOXP3mRNA, AChR-Ab, and IL-6 are differentially expressed in the MG group and the control group (p < 0.05). microRNA-21 is positively correlated with AChR-Ab and IL-6 in MG patients (r = 0.746, 0.789, p < 0.05), but has no correlation with FOXP3mRNA (r = −0.249 p = 0.055), while micro­RNA-126 is positively correlated with FOXP3mRNA and negatively correlated with AChR-Ab and IL-6 (r = 0.526, −0.797, −0.801, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with MG have differential expression of microRNA-21 and microRNA-126 and may participate in the pathogenesis of MG by regulating pathways related to inflammatory immune response.