The lower expression of circulating miR-210 and elevated serum levels of HIF-1α in ischemic stroke; Possible markers for diagnosis and disease prediction

Background: Stroke, either due to ischemia or hemorrhage, causes acute neurological damages to the brain. There is shortage of reliable biomarkers for ischemic stroke (IS), and we therefore investigated the serum concentrations of microRNA-210 (miR-210) and hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha), as possible diagnostic and/or prognostic markers for IS. Methods: Serum samples were acquired from 52 IS patients and their healthy counterparts at five time points: upon admission, 24 and 48 h after admission, upon discharge and 3 months later. Serum levels of miR-210 and HIF-1 alpha were respectively analyzed using real time RT-PCR and ELISA. Diagnostic and prognostic accuracy tests were performed to assess the value of suggested biomarkers. Results: IS patients demonstrated higher levels of serum HIF-1 alpha and lower miR-210 in comparison to the healthy subjects. MiR-210 was suggested to be a weak diagnostic biomarker at the time of admission (AUC = 0.61; p = 0.05), while HIF-1 alpha was an acceptable diagnostic marker for IS (AUC = 0.73; p < 0.0001). The higher expression of miR-210 and lower levels of HIF-1 alpha were associated with better survivals in IS patients. Conclusions: Serum miR-210 is a weak diagnostic marker of IS. Serum HIF-1 alpha is a better biomarker in diagnosing IS patients but further work in larger groups, including those with hemorrhagic stroke is necessary to confirm its diagnostic utility. Similarly, the prognostic potentiality of miR-210 and HIF-1 alpha was acceptable but needs bigger sample size and longer follow-up to be statistically confirmed.

Automated summary

The study found that miR-210 is a weak diagnostic marker for ischemic stroke (IS), while HIF-1 alpha serves as an acceptable diagnostic marker for IS patients. Higher expression of miR-210 and lower levels of HIF-1 alpha were associated with better survival outcomes in IS patients. Further studies in larger groups and longer follow-up are needed to confirm the diagnostic and prognostic potentiality of these biomarkers.