Circulating microRNA: a novel potential biomarker for early diagnosis of Intracranial Aneurysm Rupture a case control study

Objective: To investigate warning effect of serum miRNA for intracranial aneurysm rupture through microarray hybridization. Methods: 24 were selected from 560 patients in our department and divided into group A, B, C and D. They are aneurysms with daughter aneurysms group, aneurysm without daughter aneurysms group, ruptured aneurysms group and angiography negative group. Then a microarray study was carried out using serum miRNA. Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified. Cluster analysis was performed in order to make the results looks more intuitive and potential gene targets were retrieved from miRNA target prediction databases. Results: Microarray study identified 86 miRNAs with significantly different (p < 0.05) expression levels between three experimental groups and control group. Among them 69 are up-regulated and 17 are down-regulated. All miRNAs in group A are up-regulated, while there are up and down-regulated in group B and C. A total of 8291 predicted target genes are related to these miRNAs. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that several target genes are involved in apoptosis and activation of cells associated with function of vascular wall. Conclusion: Our gene level approach reveals several different serum miRNAs between normal people and aneurysm patients, as well as among different phases of aneurysm, suggesting that miRNA may participate in the regulation of the occurrence and development of intracranial aneurysm, and also have warning effect for intracranial aneurysm rupture. All differently expressed miRNA in group A are up-regulated, which may suggesting protective function of miRNA for intracranial vascular wall.