Elevated expression of miR-21 and miR-155 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells as potential biomarkers for lupus nephritis

Aim Lupus nephritis (LN) is a severe complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). There is a great interest in using microRNAs (miRNAs) as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in autoimmune diseases. Materials and methods This study evaluated miR-16, miR-21, miR-141, miR-146a, and miR-155 expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 55 female SLE patients with absent, inactive, or active nephritis, and 30 healthy controls (HCs) using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results MiR-21 and miR-155 levels were significantly greater in the active nephritis group than in the absent, inactive or HC groups. Moreover, receiver operating characteristic and logistic regression analyses revealed miR-21 and miR-155 were significant risk factors for LN. Conclusion Overexpression of miR-21 and miR-155 in PBMCs may participate in LN pathophysiology and these miRNAs could be used as biomarkers for the condition.