OBJECTIVE

To study the role of circulating microRNAs (miRNA) in the pathogenesis of idiopathic short stature (ISS) through detecting miRNA expression profile in plasma of children with ISS.

METHODS

Plasma miRNA expression was determined by microarray in 20 children with ISS and 20 healthy children. Altered microRNAs were verified by real-time PCR. The online miRNA target gene prediction software was used to predict and screen miRNA differentially expressed target genes.

RESULTS

According to the microarray, there were 40 differentially expressed miRNAs in the ISS group compared with the control group, including 24 up-regulated miRNAs and 16 down-regulated miRNAs. Real-time PCR verified two up-regulated (miR-185and miR-574-5p) and two down-regulated miRNAs (miR-497and miR-15a) and confirmed that plasma miR-185 expression was significantly up-regulated (P<0.05) and miR-497 expression was significantly down-regulated (P<0.05) in children with ISS.

CONCLUSIONS

Plasma miRNA expression levels in children with ISS are significantly different from healthy controls, suggesting that plasma miRNA is associated with the pathogenesis of ISS.