Abstract
BackgroundIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) represents a chronic disease with a progressive course. It is characterized by excessive lung scarring that ultimately contributes to irreversible lung function reduction. Interestingly, a type of long non-coding RNA termed as telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) is linked to fibrosis pathophysiology, including IPF. In this study, the expression profile of TERRA was investigated in IPF patients on radiological diagnosis [unusual interstitial pattern (UIP) in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT)] to evaluate whether it could be employed as a reliable diagnostic biomarker.ResultsTERRA expression level was significantly higher in IPF patients over healthy controls. The expression level was significantly inversely correlated with the percentage of forced vital capacity predicted (FVC% predicted). By contrast, it was significantly directly correlated with HRCT reticular extent score.ConclusionTERRA expression is an essential biomarker in peripheral blood of IPF patients, providing a valuable non-invasive tool for IPF diagnosis. Moreover, TERRA expression is strongly correlated with UIP in HRCT reticular extent score.
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