Increased complexin-1 and decreased miR-185 expression levels in Behçet's disease with and without neurological involvement.

Abstract

Although complexin 1 (CPLX1) is not known as an inflammation factor, recent identification of a complexin 1 (CPLX1) polymorphism in Behçet's disease (BD) has sparked an interest in the role of this molecule in autoinflammation. DNA samples were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of BD and neuro-Behçet's disease (NBD) patients and expression levels of CPLX1 and miR-185, a predicted target miRNA for CPLX1 and an inflammation-related miRNA, were investigated by real time PCR assays. PBMC expression levels of CPLX1 were significantly increased in BD and NBD patients. By contrast, levels of miR-185 were reduced in both patient groups. A moderate inverse correlation was found between levels of CPLX1 and miR-185. No correlation could be found between expression levels and clinical features of patients. Significant expression alterations of CPLX1 in BD and NBD patients suggest that this molecule has a proinflammatory action. The putative role of CPLX1 in BD pathogenesis remains to be further studied.