Differential Expression and in Silico Functional Analysis of Plasma MicroRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Non-segmental Vitiligo

Suzan Demir Pektaş; Murat Kara; Gürsoy Doğan; Mehmet Bilgehan Pektaş; Mehmet Cengiz Baloğlu; Gökhan Sadi

doi:10.4103/ijd.ijd_383_21

Differential Expression and in Silico Functional Analysis of Plasma MicroRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Non-segmental Vitiligo

Indian J Dermatol. 2022 Nov-Dec;67(6):705-714. doi: 10.4103/ijd.ijd_383_21.

Authors

Suzan Demir Pektaş¹, Murat Kara¹, Gürsoy Doğan¹, Mehmet Bilgehan Pektaş², Mehmet Cengiz Baloğlu³, Gökhan Sadi⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Mugla, Turkey.
² Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University, Kastamonu, Turkey.
³ Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Engineering Faculty, Kastamonu University, Kastamonu, Turkey.
⁴ Department of Biology, K. Ö. Science Faculty, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, Karaman, Turkey.

Abstract

Vitiligo is a disease characterized by acquired depigmentation, white macules, and patches on the skin due to the dysfunction of epidermal melanocytes. In this study, we attempt to profile the microRNA (miRNA) expression patterns and predict the potential targets, assessing the biological functions of differentially expressed miRNAs in the blood of generalized vitiligo patients. Peripheral blood samples were taken from all participants, and the expression levels of 89 identified miRNAs were analyzed with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results indicated significant upregulation of six miRNAs and downregulation of 19 miRNAs in the plasma of vitiligo patients. The top three upregulated miRNAs were hsa-miR-451a, hsa-miR-25-3p, and hsa-miR-19a-3p, and the top three downregulated miRNAs were hsa-miR-146a-5p, hsa-miR-940, and hsa-miR-142-3p. Moreover, the miRNA expression profiles of patients with Type 3 and Type 4 phototypes were substantially different in such a way that the patients with Type 3 phototype would be more prone to the emergence of melanoma and cancer. While significant variations in the expression patterns of miRNAs in male and female vitiligo patients were demonstrated, miR-let-7i-5p, miR-19a-3p, miR-25-3p, and miR-451a were commonly upregulated, and miR-142-3p and miR-146a-5p were commonly repressed in both sexes. This study may shed light on the roles of differentially expressed miRNAs in vitiligo patients by examining the miRNA expression patterns and the combined effects of miRNA and their predicted targets.

Keywords: Functional Enrichment; KEGG analysis; generalized vitiligo; miRNA profile.