Hai-Yu Cao1, Dong Li2, Yun-Peng Wang3, Hui-Xiu Lu1, Jing Sun1, Hai-Bin Li3. 1. Department of Dermatology, The First Hospital of Shijiazhuang City, Shijiazhuang, China. 2. Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. 3. Department of General Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of long non-coding RNA taurine up-regulated gene 1 (lncRNA TUG1) in the peripheral blood of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. METHODS: With the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs: T-cells, B-cells and monocytes) collected from SLE patients and healthy controls, TUG1 expression was determined to identify the correlation with the clinicopathological features of SLE patients. Thereby, the diagnostic value of TUG1 expression in diagnosis of SLE was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: As compared to healthy controls, SLE patients manifested a lower expression of TUG1 in PBMCs, which was further decreased in SLE patients with lupus nephritis (P < .05). The lowest level of TUG1 was found in monocytes, rather than T-cells or B-cells (P < .05). Negative correlations were identified between TUG1 levels and SLE Disease Activity Index score (r = -.904, P < .001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = -.779, P < .001), disease duration (r = -.503, P < .001) and 24-hour urinary protein (r = -.807, P < .001). Complement C3 levels were positively associated with TUG1 expression (r = .817, P < .001). In addition, the area under the ROC curve of diagnostic efficiency for SLE based on TUG1 was 0.982, and 0.930 for SLE with lupus nephritis. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of lncRNA TUG1 was markedly lower in the SLE patients, which was more obvious in SLE patients with lupus nephritis, and thus, it could be a promising clinical diagnostic tool for SLE patients or SLE patients with lupus nephritis.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of long non-coding RNA taurine up-regulated gene 1 (lncRNA TUG1) in the peripheral blood of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. METHODS: With the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs: T-cells, B-cells and monocytes) collected from SLEpatients and healthy controls, TUG1 expression was determined to identify the correlation with the clinicopathological features of SLEpatients. Thereby, the diagnostic value of TUG1 expression in diagnosis of SLE was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: As compared to healthy controls, SLEpatients manifested a lower expression of TUG1 in PBMCs, which was further decreased in SLEpatients with lupus nephritis (P < .05). The lowest level of TUG1 was found in monocytes, rather than T-cells or B-cells (P < .05). Negative correlations were identified between TUG1 levels and SLE Disease Activity Index score (r = -.904, P < .001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = -.779, P < .001), disease duration (r = -.503, P < .001) and 24-hour urinary protein (r = -.807, P < .001). Complement C3 levels were positively associated with TUG1 expression (r = .817, P < .001). In addition, the area under the ROC curve of diagnostic efficiency for SLE based on TUG1 was 0.982, and 0.930 for SLE with lupus nephritis. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of lncRNA TUG1 was markedly lower in the SLEpatients, which was more obvious in SLEpatients with lupus nephritis, and thus, it could be a promising clinical diagnostic tool for SLEpatients or SLEpatients with lupus nephritis.