MicroRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ levels in lung tissue and plasma are increased by the stimulation of particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2.5μm, and are associated with the poor prognosis of asthma induced pulmonary arterial hypertension patients

ABSTRACT

Background

This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5)-related microRNA-206 combined with interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13 and interferon-γ (INF-γ) in asthma induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Methods

Fifty SPF BALB/c mice were divided into 5 groups: control group, asthma + PAH group, low-toxic asthma + PAH group, moderately-exposed asthma + PAH group, highly-exposed asthma + PAH group. Differences of microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ expression in lung tissue and plasma were detected. A total of 98 patients with asthma induced PAH and 98 healthy persons were collected. Patients were followed up for 12 months.

Results

Based on microarray analyses, we found that microRNA-206 may be involved in asthma induced PAH stimulated by PM2.5. Compared with healthy people, plasma microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ levels in asthma induced PAH patients were significantly higher (P< .05). Compared with survivors, plasma microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ levels in non-survivors were significantly higher (P< .05). Survival analyses showed that compared with low microRNA-206, low IL-4, low IL-13 and low INF-γ groups, survival rate of patients in high microRNA-206 (χ² = 4.864, P= .013), high IL-4 (χ² = 3.774, P= .038), high IL-13 (χ² = 8.375, P< .001) and high INF-γ groups (χ² = 9.007, P< .001) were significantly reduced. Established prognostic evaluation model was built and the estimated probability was 0.473. Compared with estimated probability ≤ 0.473, survival rate of patients in estimated probability> 0.473 was significantly reduced (χ² = 17.377, P< .001).

Conclusion

Current model combining plasma microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ has potential significance for prognosis of asthma induced PAH.

KEYWORDS:

• Pulmonary arterial hypertension
• asthma
• PM2.5
• prognosis
• inflammatory

Authors’ contributions

Shaohua Li and Xixin Yan conceived and designed the experiments; Shaohua Li, Xiaoning Ma, Jianli Xie, and Wuzhuang Sun performed the experiments; Wuzhuang Sun analyzed the data; Shaohua Li, and Wuzhuang Sun collected samples; Shaohua Li and Xixin Yan wrote the paper. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Disclosure of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant [81770020].