Study of the exosomal microRNA-126 and microRNA-218 expression profiles in patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS)

Background: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), caused by orthohantaviruses, occupies one of the leading places among natural focal human diseases, for which there are no modern accurate and highly sensitive diagnostic methods. To improve this situation, a better understanding of the hantavirus pathogenesis of HFRS is required. The expression levels of circulating microRNAs in the serum or plasma of patients during infection make them potential therapeutic biomarkers for the diagnosis of HFRS. The aim of the study: To analyze the expression levels of miR-126 and miR-218 patients with HFRS at different stages of the disease. Materials and methods: The moderate disease severity group of HFRS patients included 105 RNA samples, severe – 99 and severe with complications – 84 RNA samples. Blood samples of HFRS patients for molecular genetic analysis were collected three times – during the initial febrile period (1-4 days of illness), the polyuric period (15-22 days of illness) and during the convalescence period. Total RNA isolation was performed using the miRNeasy Serum/Plasma Advanced Kit (Qiagen, Germany). Quantitative realtime PCR was performed using the miRCURY LNA SYBR Green PCR Kit (Qiagen, Germany) and the real time PCR product detection system LightCycler96 (Roch). Results: A pairwise comparison of miR-126 and miR-218 expression levels in patients with HFRS at the fever stage and at the polyuric stage of HFRS did not reveal statistically significant results (P>0.05). Conclusion: Further studies of the network of genes that are targets of various microRNAs are needed to clarify the molecular mechanisms that can influence the occurrence and development of HFRS.