MicroRNA Expression in Cutaneous Lupus: A New Window to Understand Its Pathogenesis

Abstract EN

Background.

The role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of cutaneous lupus has not been studied.

Objective.

It was to assess the levels of a selected panel of circulating miRNAs that could be involved in the regulation of the immune response, inflammation, and fibrosis in cutaneous lupus.

Methods.

It was a cross-sectional study.

We included 22 patients with subacute (SCLE) and 20 with discoid (DLE) lesions, and 19 healthy donors (HD).

qRT-PCR for miRNA analysis, flow cytometry in peripheral blood, and skin immunohistochemistry were performed to determine the distribution of CD4 T cells and regulatory cells and their correlation with circulating miRNAs.

Results.

miR-150, miR-1246, miR-21, miR-23b, and miR-146 levels were downregulated in SCLE vs.

HD.

miR-150, miR-1246, and miR-21 levels were downregulated in DLE vs.

HD.

Peripheral CD4+/CD25-/IL-4+ cells and CD4+/CD25hi/Foxp3+ were negatively associated with miR-23b, and CD4+/CD25-/IFN-γ+ with miR-1246 in SCLE, whereas CD123+/CD196+/IDO+ cells were positively associated with miR-150 in DLE.

In the tissue, CD4+/IL-4+ and CD20+/IL-10+ cells were positively associated with miR-21 and CD4+/IFN-γ+ with miR-31 in SCLE, whereas CD4+/IL-4+ cells were positively associated with miR-150, and CD20+/IL-10+ cells with miR-1246 and miR-146a in DLE.

In the SCLE, lower miR-150 levels were correlated with higher CLASI scores.

The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that cell cycle regulation pathways, p53, TGF-β, thyroid hormone, and cancer signaling pathways were shared between miR-21, miR-31, miR-23b, miR-146a, miR-1246, and miR-150.

Conclusions.

A downregulation of miR-150, miR-1246, and miR-21 in both CLE varieties vs.

HD was determined.