Potential role of circulating long noncoding RNA MALAT1 in predicting disease risk, severity, and patients' survival in sepsis.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the plasma long noncoding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (lncRNA MALAT1) expression with risk, severity, inflammation level, and prognosis in sepsis.

METHODS

One hundred and ninety sepsis patients and 190 health controls (HCs) were consecutively recruited. Blood samples within 24 hours after admission of sepsis patients and those on enrollment of HCs were collected, and then, plasma was separated for lncRNA MALAT1 and miR-125b expressions detections by RT-qPCR. In sepsis patients, clinical data and 28-day mortality were recorded, and plasma inflammatory cytokines expressions were detected by ELISA.

RESULTS

Plasma lncRNA MALAT1 expression was elevated in sepsis patients than HCs (P < 0.001), and ROC curve disclosed that it had a good value in predicting sepsis risk with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.823 (95% CI: 0.783-0.864). Additionally, lncRNA MALAT1 expression was positively correlated with Scr (P = 0.005), WBC (P = 0.017), CRP (P < 0.001), PCT (P < 0.001), TNF-α (P < 0.001), IL-8 (P < 0.001), IL-17 (P = 0.001), APACHE II score (P < 0.001), and SOFA score (P < 0.001). LncRNA MALA1 expression was elevated in deaths compared with survivors (P < 0.001) and could predict the risk of 28-day mortality with an AUC of 0.755 (95% CI: 0.682-0.828). Accumulating survival was worse in patients with lncRNA MALAT1 high expression compared with patients who had lncRNA MALAT1 low expression (P < 0.001). Moreover, lncRNA MALAT1 expression was negatively correlated with miR-125b level in both sepsis patients (P < 0.001) and HCs (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

LncRNA MALAT1 could be developed as a potential biomarker for facilitating diagnosis and management in sepsis patients.