LncRNA ANRIL/miR‐125a axis exhibits potential as a biomarker for disease exacerbation, severity, and inflammation in bronchial asthma

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the correlation of lncRNA ANRIL/miR‐125a axis with disease risk, severity, and inflammatory cytokines of bronchial asthma. METHODS: Plasma samples from 90 patients with bronchial asthma at exacerbation (BA‐E), 90 with bronchial asthma at remission (BA‐R), and 90 controls (healthy subjects) were collected. The qPCR was used for lncRNA ANRIL and miR‐125a detection, and ELISA was adopted for pro‐inflammatory cytokines detection. Participants’ characteristics, laboratory tests, and the pulmonary ventilation function examinations were recorded. RESULTS: LncRNA ANRIL was negatively correlated with miR‐125a in BA‐E patients, BA‐R patients, and controls. LncRNA ANRIL/miR‐125a axis was upregulated in BA‐E patients compared with BA‐R patients and controls. ROC curve analyses illuminated that lncRNA ANRIL/miR‐125a axis was of good value in distinguishing BA‐E patients from BA‐R patients and controls. As to pulmonary ventilation functions, lncRNA ANRIL/miR‐125a axis was negatively associated with FEV(1)/FVC and FEV(1)%predicted in bronchial asthma patients, especially in BA‐E patients. Regarding inflammation, lncRNA ANRIL/miR‐125a axis was positively correlated with pro‐inflammatory cytokines in bronchial asthma patients, especially in BA‐E patients. In addition, lncRNA ANRIL/miR‐125a axis was positively correlated with exacerbation severity in BA‐E patients. CONCLUSION: LncRNA ANRIL/miR‐125a is potentially indicative of disease exacerbation, exacerbation severity, and inflammation for bronchial asthma, while these findings are preliminary and need further confirmation.