Serum microRNA profiles in children with autism

Traduction: G.M.

Mol Autism. 2014 Jul 30;5:40. doi: 10.1186/2040-2392-5-40. eCollection 2014.

Profils de microARN sériques chez les enfants avec autisme

Mundalil Vasu M¹, Anitha A², Thanseem I¹, Suzuki K¹, Yamada K², Takahashi T¹, Wakuda T¹, Iwata K³, Tsujii M⁴, Sugiyama T⁵, Mori N⁶.

Author information

• ¹Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan.
• ²Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan.
• ³Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, 23-3 Matsuokashimoaizuki, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
• ⁴Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan ; Faculty of Sociology, Chukyo University, 101 Tokodachi, Kaizu-cho, Toyota 470-0393, Japan.
• ⁵Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan.
• ⁶Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan ; Research Center for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

As regulators of gene expression, microRNAs (miRNAs) play a key role in the transcriptional networks of the developing human brain. Circulating miRNAs in the serum and plasma are remarkably stable and are suggested to have promise as noninvasive biomarkers for neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders. We examined the serum expression profiles of neurologically relevant miRNAs in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by multiple deficits in communication, social interaction and behavior.
En tant que régulateurs de l'expression des gènes, les microARN (miARN) jouent un rôle clé dans les réseaux de transcription du développement du cerveau humain.  
Les MiARN circulant dans le sérum et le plasma sont remarquablement stables et ont été considérés comme une promesse en tant que biomarqueurs non invasifs pour des troubles neurologiques et du développement neurologique.  
Nous avons examiné les profils sériques d'expression des miARN neurologiques pertinents dans les troubles du spectre autistique (TSA), un trouble neurodéveloppemental complexe caractérisé par de multiples déficits en matière de communication, d'interaction sociale et de comportement. 

METHODS:

Total RNA, including miRNA, was extracted from the serum samples of 55 individuals with ASD and 55 age- and sex-matched control subjects, and the mature miRNAs were selectively converted into cDNA. Initially, the expression of 125 mature miRNAs was compared between pooled control and ASD samples. The differential expression of 14 miRNAs was further validated by SYBR Green quantitative PCR of individual samples. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of miRNAs. The target genes and pathways of miRNAs were predicted using DIANA mirPath software.

RESULTS:

Thirteen miRNAs were differentially expressed in ASD individuals compared to the controls. MiR-151a-3p, miR-181b-5p, miR-320a, miR-328, miR-433, miR-489, miR-572, and miR-663a were downregulated, while miR-101-3p, miR-106b-5p, miR-130a-3p, miR-195-5p, and miR-19b-3p were upregulated. Five miRNAs showed good predictive power for distinguishing individuals with ASD. The target genes of these miRNAs were enriched in several crucial neurological pathways.

CONCLUSIONS:

This is the first study of serum miRNAs in ASD individuals. The results suggest that a set of serum miRNAs might serve as a possible noninvasive biomarker for ASD.
C'est la première étude du sérum miARN chez les personnes autistes. Les résultats suggèrent qu'un ensemble de sérum miARN pourrait servir de biomarqueur non invasif possible pour les TSA. 

PMID: 25126405