The role of circulating miRNAs in the diagnosis of osteoporosis miRNAs in osteoporosis.

OBJECTIVE: Osteoporosis, defined as a systemic skeletal disease, is characterized by increased bone fragility and fracture risk. Studies have shown that dysregulation of the functions of miRNAs or the mechanisms they mediate may be an important pathological factor in bone degeneration. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the role of miRNAs, which are thought to play a role in bone metabolism, in osteoporosis. METHODS: The study included 48 patients who were diagnosed with osteoporosis according to the results of a bone mineral density assessment by quantitative computed tomography and 36 healthy individuals. MiRNAs from plasma samples obtained from blood samples taken into ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) tubes were isolated with the miRNA isolation kit and converted to cDNA. Expression analysis of miR-21-5p, miR-34a-5p, miR-210, miR-122-5p, miR-125b-5p, miR-133a, miR-143-3p, miR-146a, miR-155-5p, and miR-223 was performed on the real-time PCR (RT-PCR) device. RESULTS: When miRNA expression levels in the patient group were compared with the control group, all miRNAs were found to be downregulated in the patients. When fold changes in expression levels in the patient group were examined, significant differences were found in miR-21-5p, miR-133a, mir143-3p, miR-210, and miR-223. In the receiver operating curve analysis, area under the curve=0.882 for the combination of miR-34, miR-125, miR-133, and miR-210. CONCLUSION: In this study, it was determined that the combined effects of miRNAs, as well as their single effects, were effective in the development of osteoporosis. Therefore, a miRNA panel to be created can make a significant contribution to the development of novel diagnostic and treatment approaches for this disease.

The role of circulating miRNAs in the diagnosis of osteoporosis miRNAs in osteoporosis

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Osteoporosis, defined as a systemic skeletal disease, is characterized by increased bone fragility and fracture risk. Studies have shown that dysregulation of the functions of miRNAs or the mechanisms they mediate may be an important pathological factor in bone degeneration. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the role of miRNAs, which are thought to play a role in bone metabolism, in osteoporosis. METHODS: The study included 48 patients who were diagnosed with osteoporosis according to the results of a bone mineral density assessment by quantitative computed tomography and 36 healthy individuals. MiRNAs from plasma samples obtained from blood samples taken into ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) tubes were isolated with the miRNA isolation kit and converted to cDNA. Expression analysis of miR-21-5p, miR-34a-5p, miR-210, miR-122-5p, miR-125b-5p, miR-133a, miR-143-3p, miR-146a, miR-155-5p, and miR-223 was performed on the real-time PCR (RT-PCR) device. RESULTS: When miRNA expression levels in the patient group were compared with the control group, all miRNAs were found to be downregulated in the patients. When fold changes in expression levels in the patient group were examined, significant differences were found in miR-21-5p, miR-133a, mir143-3p, miR-210, and miR-223. In the receiver operating curve analysis, area under the curve=0.882 for the combination of miR-34, miR-125, miR-133, and miR-210. CONCLUSION: In this study, it was determined that the combined effects of miRNAs, as well as their single effects, were effective in the development of osteoporosis. Therefore, a miRNA panel to be created can make a significant contribution to the development of novel diagnostic and treatment approaches for this disease.

Circulating MicroRNAs in the Screening of Prenatal Down Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Screening tests are recommended to identify genetic defects, chromosomal aneuploidies, and structural birth defects. Sonographic and maternal serum-based options are available for the risk assessment of aneuploidy in the first and/or second trimester. Also, invasive diagnostic methods, such as amniocentesis, are used for prenatal diagnosis, but these methods carry a tangible risk to the fetus. However, in recent years, circulating fetal nucleic acids have a promising moleculer tool in the noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of fetal chromosomal aneuploidies. In this study, we aimed to explore the usability of microRNAs (miRNAs) in this process of prenatal diagnosis. METHODS: Fourteen pregnant patients who were found to be carrying fetuses with congenital anomalies were designated as the patient group; 16 pregnant women identified as being at risk of carrying children with such anomalies-but whose fetuses were later found to be anomaly-free-were assigned to control group 1; and 13 pregnant women who had been screened and who had not been identified as being at risk made up control group 2. An analysis of miRNA expression, isolated from maternal plasma and amniotic fluid samples, was performed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: It was found that hsa-miR-629-5p, hsa-miR-320c, hsa-miR-21-5p, hsa-let-7c-5p, hsa-miR-98-5p, hsa-miR-486-5p, hsa-miR-4732-5p, and hsa-miR-181a-5p levels increased in the patient group's maternal plasma compared to that of the control group. CONCLUSION: In light of these data, we believe that miRNAs may have an important role in the noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of fetal birth defects, especially Down syndrome.