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microRNA-223 and microRNA-126 are clinical indicators for predicting the plaque stability in carotid atherosclerosis patients

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 37, pages 788–795 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Studies have demonstrated the essential functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) in cardiovascular disease. Herein, we explored the roles of miR-126 and miR-223 in the prediction of plaque stability in carotid atherosclerosis (CA).Patients with CA (N = 52) and healthy volunteers (N = 25) were recruited as the study subjects and controls. First, a miRNA microarray was performed to analyze the differentially expressed miRNAs in the serum of normal controls and patients with CA. Next, the correlations of miR-223 and miR-126 expression with plaque stability-related factors were analyzed. Then, the predictive efficacy of miR-223 and miR-126 on plaque stability was analyzed by the ROC curve, and the targeting relationships of miR-223 and miR-126 with COX2 were verified. Finally, the relationship between COX2 expression and CA plaque stability was analyzed. miR-223 and miR-126 were decreased in the serum of CA patients and had good diagnostic efficacy for CA. miR-223 and miR-126 in the serum of CA patients with unstable plaques were lower than that in patients with stable plaques. miR-223 and miR-126 were negatively correlated with plaque instability-related indicators, while COX2, a direct target of miR-223 and miR-126, was positively related to plaque instability-related indicators. Lowly expressed miR-223 and miR-126 in the serum of CA patients can be used as indicators for plaque stability.

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Fig. 1: Low expression levels of miR-126 and miR-223 are found in the serum of patients with CA.
Fig. 2: Both miR-223 and miR-126 have good predictive efficiency in unstable plaques in patients with CA.
Fig. 3: miR-126 and miR-223 are negatively associated with plaque instability factors in patients with CA.
Fig. 4: COX2 is a direct target gene of miR-126 and miR-233.
Fig. 5: The COX2 expression level is positively correlated with plaque instability factors in patients with CA.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Hangzhou Fuyang District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 2-4 Guihua Road, Fuyang District, Hangzhou City, 311401, Zhejiang Province, China

    Luya Zhu, Yu Wang & Fengjie Qiao

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  1. Luya Zhu
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  2. Yu Wang
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Contributions

LZ contributed to the study concepts, study design; YW contributed to the literature research; LZ, YW contributed to the experimental studies and data acquisition; LZ, FQ contributed to the data analysis and statistical analysis; LZ contributed to the manuscript preparation. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Luya Zhu.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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This study was conducted following the Declaration of Helsinki in 1964 and approved by the ethics committee of Hangzhou Fuyang District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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Zhu, L., Wang, Y. & Qiao, F. microRNA-223 and microRNA-126 are clinical indicators for predicting the plaque stability in carotid atherosclerosis patients. J Hum Hypertens 37, 788–795 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41371-022-00760-3

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