甲状腺相关眼病患者外周血单个核细胞中微小RNA-146a的异常表达及意义

目的探讨微小RNA-146a(microRNA-146a,miRNA-146a)在甲状腺相关眼病(throid-associated ophthalmopathy,TAO)患者外周血单个核细胞(peripheral blood mononuclear cells,PBMC)中的表达情况及临床意义。方法收集TAO患者、甲状腺功能亢进症(Graves disease,GD)不伴眼病患者和正常人空腹静脉全血标本各20例,采用实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)方法分别检测各组标本PBMC中miRNA-146a的表达情况,并将qRT-PCR产物行凝胶电泳。结果与正常人相比,TAO患者和GD不伴眼病患者PBMC中miRNA-146a相对表达量均明显降低(均为P<0.05),下调率分别为98.02%和67.60%;与GD不伴眼病患者相比,miRNA-146a在TAO患者PBMC中相对表达量更低(P<0.05),下调率为30.40%。qRT-PCR产物行凝胶电泳后证实为miRNA-146a的扩增产物。结论 miRNA-146a的表达下调可能参与了TAO的病理发病机制,可能是治疗TAO的一个新靶点。

Expression of microRNA-146a in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy and its clinical significance

Objective To investigate the relative expression of microRNA-146a(miRNA-146a) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) of patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy(TAO) and its clinical significance.Methods Twenty TAO patients,twenty Graves disease(GD) patients without ophthalmopathy and twenty healthy controls matched with age and gender were enrolled in this study.Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR reaction(qRT-PCR) was used to detect the relative expression of miRNA-146a in the PBMC,and the products of qRT-PCR were performed the gel electrophoresis.Results The relative expressions of miRNA-146a in TAO patients and GD patients without ophthalmopathy were lower significantly than that of healthy controls,there were statistical differences(both P<0.05),the ratio of expression reduction were 98.02% for TAO patients and 67.60% for GD patients without ophthalmopathy,respectively.The relative expression of miRNA-146a in TAO patients was lower than that of GD patients without ophthalmopathy,there was statistical difference(P<0.05),the ratio of expression reduction was 30.40%.After the gel electrophoresis,the products of qRT-PCR were the amplifications of miRNA-146a.Conclusion The down-regulative expression of miRNA-146a may be involved in the pathogenesis of TAO,and may be a potential therapy target for TAO.