Liu Peng-Fei, Yan Peng, Zhao Da-Hui, Shi Wen-Fang, Meng Song, Liu Yang, Liu Bin, Li Guo-Feng, Xie Li-Xin
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing.
Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Logistic University of Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2018 Feb 28;13:741-751. doi: 10.2147/COPD.S156865. eCollection 2018.
The objective of the study was to analyze the effect of environmental factors on the differential expression of microRNAs in the peripheral blood of migratory and local patients in northern People's Republic of China and on clinical symptoms of local patients in northern People's Republic of China with COPD.
A total of 118 patients in the northern region and 8 migratory patients were enrolled in this prospective study. We collected general information. Blood samples were collected from 9 patients in the Beijing group, from 8 patients in the migratory group and from 9 healthy control subjects. After extracting the total RNA from these 3 groups, serum miRNA was identified by Solexa sequencing. We collected COPD assessment test (CAT) and Modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) scores at different levels of air pollution and also collected the number of exacerbations over the year prior to the baseline and in the year preceding the follow-up.
In total 9 miRNAs were differentially expressed. When air quality index (AQI) >100, the CAT and mMRC scores at baseline were significantly higher than those when the AQI ≤100 (<0.001). When AQI >100, the follow-up CAT and mMRC scores were significantly higher than those when AQI ≤100 (<0.001). Follow-up mMRC scores were significantly higher than baseline scores (=0.04). When AQI ≤100, the baseline CAT score of the group with fewer symptoms was 6.50 (4.00-8.75). However, when AQI >100, the baseline CAT score of this fewer symptoms group was 10.00 (6.25-12.00). The median CAT score was close to 10. When AQI ≤100, the follow-up CAT score of the fewer symptoms group was 8.00 (4.25-12.00). However, when AQI >100, the follow-up CAT score of the fewer symptoms group was 9.50 (6.00-16.75). The median CAT score was close to 10.
Environmental factors may cause differential expression of miRNAs in the peripheral blood of migratory and local patients in northern People's Republic of China. Air pollution may aggravate clinical symptoms of patients with COPD.
本研究旨在分析环境因素对中国北方迁徙和本地患者外周血中微小RNA差异表达的影响，以及对中国北方慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）本地患者临床症状的影响。
本前瞻性研究共纳入118例北方地区患者和8例迁徙患者。我们收集了一般信息。从北京组的9例患者、迁徙组的8例患者和9例健康对照者中采集血样。从这3组中提取总RNA后，通过Solexa测序鉴定血清微小RNA。我们收集了不同空气污染水平下的慢性阻塞性肺疾病评估测试（CAT）和改良英国医学研究委员会（mMRC）评分，还收集了基线前一年和随访前一年的急性加重次数。
总共9种微小RNA存在差异表达。当空气质量指数（AQI）>100时，基线时的CAT和mMRC评分显著高于AQI≤100时（<0.001）。当AQI>100时，随访时的CAT和mMRC评分显著高于AQI≤100时（<0.001）。随访时的mMRC评分显著高于基线评分（=0.04）。当AQI≤100时，症状较轻组的基线CAT评分为6.50（4.00 - 8.75）。然而，当AQI>100时，该症状较轻组的基线CAT评分为10.00（6.25 - 12.00）。CAT评分中位数接近10。当AQI≤100时，症状较轻组的随访CAT评分为8.00（4.25 - 12.00）。然而，当AQI>100时，该症状较轻组的随访CAT评分为9.50（6.00 - 16.75）。CAT评分中位数接近10。
环境因素可能导致中国北方迁徙和本地患者外周血中微小RNA的差异表达。空气污染可能加重COPD患者的临床症状。
