LncRNA HCP5 acts as a potential diagnostic biomarker and attenuates the inflammatory response in neonatal sepsis by targeting miR-138-5p/SIRT1.

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance and potential mechanism of long non-coding RNA human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen complex P5 (HCP5) in neonatal sepsis (NS).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study enrolled 86 patients with NS and 80 neonates with respiratory tract infection or pneumonia. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the association of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and inflammatory factors with HCP5. Serum levels of HCP5 were measured using RT-qPCR. The diagnostic potential of HCP5 was assessed via a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. An in vitro model was established using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. ELISA was conducted to measure the levels of inflammatory factors. Finally, the target relationship was validated using a dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

HCP5 was significantly lower in patients with NS and it negatively correlated with PCT, CRP, interleukin (IL)-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-). The area under the ROC curve was 0.902, and the sensitivity and specificity for identifying NS from controls were 86.30% and 83.72%, respectively. In LPS-induced RAW264.7, the levels of HCP5 decreased in a time- and dose-dependent manner. miR-138-5p, a target miRNA for HCP5, was found to be elevated in NS patients. Furthermore, HCP5 significantly reduced LPS-induced overproduction of inflammatory factors, but miR-138-5p reversed this reduction. Furthermore, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a downstream target of miR-138-5p.

CONCLUSIONS

HCP5 could potentially serve as a diagnostic biomarker for NS and it may inhibit inflammation in NS by targeting miR-138-5p/SIRT1 axis. These findings highlight the potential role of HCP5 in the diagnosis and treatment of NS.