The role of circular RNA HECTD1 expression in disease risk, disease severity, inflammation, and recurrence of acute ischemic stroke

Background This study aimed to explore the correlation of circular RNA HECT domain E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (circRNA HECTD1) expression with disease risk, disease severity, inflammation, and recurrence of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods A total of 160 initial AIS patients and 160 controls were enrolled in this study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of AIS patients and controls were separated from blood samples to detect circRNA HECTD1 expression by RT-qPCR. Inflammatory cytokines in serum of AIS patients were measured by ELISA. Furthermore, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was used to evaluate disease severity of AIS patients. Additionally, disease recurrence was documented during follow-up, and recurrence-free survival (RFS) was calculated. Results CircRNA HECTD1 expression was higher in AIS patients than that in controls, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve revealed that circRNA HECTD1 expression was of a good value in distinguishing AIS patients from controls with area under the curve (AUC) of 0.814 (95% CI: 0.768-0.859). In AIS patients, circRNA HECTD1 expression was positively correlated with NIHSS score, CRP, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. CircRNA HECTD1 expression was increased in AIS recurrence patients compared to non-recurrence patients, and further, ROC curve analysis disclosed that circRNA HECTD1 expression predicted higher risk of AIS recurrence (AUC: 0.694, 95% CI: 0.586-0.801). Additionally, circRNA HECTD1 expression was negatively correlated with RFS. Conclusions CircRNA HECTD1 expression correlates with higher disease risk, disease severity, inflammation, and recurrence of AIS.