Chen Yi-Dan, Sheng Ji-Li, Liu Jing, Zhang Shao-Ying, Jin Xiao-Qing
Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou 310013, China.
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2022 Aug 12;42(8):891-8. doi: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220302-k0008.
To investigate the differential characteristics of plasma mircoRNA (miRNA) expression profile in the patients of moderate-to-severe allergic rhinitis treated with acupuncture so as to provide an index for screening the potential biomarkers of acupuncture efficacy.
Of 33 patients of moderate-to-severe allergic rhinitis underwent acupuncture, the superior efficacy patients (superior efficacy group, 3 cases) and the inferior efficacy patients (inferior efficacy group, 3 cases) were selected. Using human miRNA microarray technology, the differences in plasma miRNA expression before and after treatment were analyzed in the patients of two groups. Besides, 10 cases of superior efficacy and 10 cases of inferior one were selected respectively among the patients of moderate-to-severe allergic rhinitis treated with same acupuncture regimen; and the real-time PCR was used to validate miRNAs of differential expression determined by microarray technology. The bioinformatics analysis was performed for miRNAs of significant differences in expression so as to predict the potential functional target genes, and then, the predicted target genes were annotated in reference with the databases of gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG).
Before treatment, there were 51 miRNAs of differential expression between two groups, of which, the expression levels of 26 miRNAs were up-regulated and those of 25 miRNAs were down-regulated. Compared with before treatment, 33 miRNAs presented differential expression in the superior efficacy group after treatment. The results of real-time PCR showed that the expression levels of hsa-miR-126-3p, hsa-miR-15a-5p, hsa-miR-494-3p and hsa-miR-574-5p were consistent with the results of microarray analysis in tendency. GO/KEGG analysis indicated that miRNAs with significant differences of expression between two groups were involved in regulating various biological processes, molecular functions and signaling pathways.
Plasma miRNA-mediated biological processes may be associated with the efficacy response of acupuncture in treatment of moderate-to-severe allergic rhinitis. Plasma miRNAs of differential expression may be the potential non-invasive biomarkers to predict the effectiveness of acupuncture on moderate-to-severe allergic rhinitis.
探讨针刺治疗中重度变应性鼻炎患者血浆微小RNA（miRNA）表达谱的差异特征，为筛选针刺疗效潜在生物标志物提供指标。
选取33例接受针刺治疗的中重度变应性鼻炎患者，选出疗效优的患者（优效组，3例）和疗效差的患者（低效组，3例）。采用人miRNA芯片技术，分析两组患者治疗前后血浆miRNA表达的差异。此外，在接受相同针刺方案治疗的中重度变应性鼻炎患者中分别选取10例疗效优和10例疗效差的患者；采用实时荧光定量PCR验证芯片技术检测出的差异表达miRNA。对表达有显著差异的miRNA进行生物信息学分析，预测潜在的功能靶基因，然后参考基因本体论（GO）数据库和京都基因与基因组百科全书（KEGG）对预测的靶基因进行注释。
治疗前，两组间有51个差异表达的miRNA，其中26个miRNA表达水平上调，25个miRNA表达水平下调。与治疗前比较，优效组治疗后有33个miRNA呈现差异表达。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示，hsa-miR-126-3p、hsa-miR-15a-5p、hsa-miR-494-3p和hsa-miR-574-5p的表达水平变化趋势与芯片分析结果一致。GO/KEGG分析表明，两组间表达有显著差异的miRNA参与调控多种生物学过程及分子功能和信号通路。
血浆miRNA介导的生物学过程可能与针刺治疗中重度变应性鼻炎的疗效反应相关。差异表达的血浆miRNA可能是预测针刺治疗中重度变应性鼻炎疗效的潜在非侵入性生物标志物。
