Abstract
The incidence of osteoporosis is high in postmenopausal women due to altered estrogen levels and continuous calcium loss that occurs with aging. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the development of osteoporosis. These miRNAs may be used as potential biomarkers to identify women at a high risk for developing the disease. In this study, whole blood samples were collected from 48 postmenopausal Chinese women with osteopenia or osteoporosis and pooled into six groups according to individual T-scores. A miRNA microarray analysis was performed on pooled blood samples to identify potential miRNA biomarkers for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Five miRNAs (miR-130b-3p, -151a-3p, -151b, -194-5p, and -590-5p) were identified in the microarray analysis. These dysregulated miRNAs were subjected to a pathway analysis investigating whether they were involved in regulating osteoporosis-related pathways. Among them, only miR-194-5p was enriched in multiple osteoporosis-related pathways. Enhanced miR-194-5p expression in women with osteoporosis was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction analysis. For external validation, a significant correlation between the expression of miR-194-5p and T-scores was found in an independent patient collection comprised of 24 postmenopausal women with normal bone mineral density, 30 postmenopausal women with osteopenia, and 32 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis (p < 0.05). Taken together, the present findings suggest that miR-194-5p may be a viable miRNA biomarker for postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Highlights
Postmenopausal women have a high incidence of osteoporosis due to simultaneous existence of multiple independent predisposing factors, such as estrogen deficiency, How to cite this article Meng et al (2015), Identification of miR-194-5p as a potential biomarker for postmenopausal osteoporosis
Microarray scanning identified six miRNAs with increased peripheral blood expression in participants with osteoporosis To search for potential miRNA biomarkers for postmenopausal osteoporosis, a comprehensive miRNA expression analysis was performed on pooled RNA samples isolated from postmenopausal Chinese women with osteopenia or osteoporosis (Table 1)
A microarray-based scanning approach followed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) validation and pathway analysis was conducted to identify potential circulating miRNA biomarkers for postmenopausal osteoporosis
Summary
Postmenopausal women have a high incidence of osteoporosis due to simultaneous existence of multiple independent predisposing factors, such as estrogen deficiency, How to cite this article Meng et al (2015), Identification of miR-194-5p as a potential biomarker for postmenopausal osteoporosis. In contrast to developing better treatments for patients with osteoporosis, a proactive approach that identifies patients at high risk for developing osteoporosis is recommended to prevent bone loss, especially when the number of patients with osteoporosis is estimated to grow (Sanders & Geraci, 2013; Tella & Gallagher, 2014). This viewpoint has prompted researchers to develop new osteoporotic biomarkers in recent years to identify postmenopausal women who are at high risk for developing osteoporosis (Vasikaran et al, 2011; Garnero, 2014)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
