Expression patterns of serum miR-27a-3p and activating transcription factor 3 in children with bronchial asthma and their correlations with airway inflammation

Jingcai Wang; Lixin Yang; Peng Sun; Chunyan Guo; Yuzi Jin; Xiaoqing Jing

doi:10.1111/crj.13631

Expression patterns of serum miR-27a-3p and activating transcription factor 3 in children with bronchial asthma and their correlations with airway inflammation

Clin Respir J. 2023 Jun 29. doi: 10.1111/crj.13631. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Jingcai Wang¹, Lixin Yang¹, Peng Sun¹, Chunyan Guo¹, Yuzi Jin¹, Xiaoqing Jing¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Pediatric, The Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University, Chengde, Hebei, China.

PMID: 37385291
DOI: 10.1111/crj.13631

Abstract

Introduction: Bronchial asthma (BA) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation. This study investigated the serum miR-27a-3p/activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) expression in children with BA and their correlations with airway inflammation.

Methods: Children with BA (N = 120) and healthy children (N = 108) were enrolled. Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, immunoglobulin E (IgE), miR-27a-3p, ATF3, and the number of eosinophils (EOS) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and an automatic hematology analyzer. The correlations between miR-27a-3p and ATF3 and between miR-27a-3p/ATF3 and inflammation-related factors were analyzed by the Pearson method. The diagnostic values of miR-27a-3p and ATF3 in BA were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The influencing factors of BA were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Finally, the targeting relation between miR-27a-3p and ATF3 was predicted and analyzed by TargetScan and Starbase databases, and dual-luciferase assay.

Results: There were significant differences in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)% predicted and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC)%, serum levels of IgE, IL-17, IL-6, and TNF-α, and EOS numbers between healthy children and BA children. Serum miR-27a-3p was negatively correlated with ATF3 and positively correlated with inflammation-related factors in BA children. Serum ATF3 mRNA levels were negatively correlated with inflammatory factors in BA children. miR-27a-3p and ATF3 had good diagnostic values in BA children. FEV% predicted, IL-6, TNF-α, miR-27a-3p, and ATF3 were independent risk factors for BA. miR-27a-3p targeted ATF3.

Conclusion: Serum miR-27a-3p was highly expressed, whereas ATF3 was poorly expressed in BA children, and they were significantly correlated with airway inflammation, had good diagnostic values in BA children, and were independent risk factors for asthma.

Keywords: IL-17; IL-6; TNF-α; activating transcription factor 3; airway inflammation; bronchial asthma; eosinophils; miR-27a-3p.