MicroRNA-17 as a potential diagnostic biomarker in pulmonary arterial hypertension

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to detect circulating microRNA (miR)-17 and miR-20a levels in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and to investigate whether circulating miR-17 levels are associated with PAH. METHODS: Thirty-five PAH patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Circulating miR-17 and miR-20a levels were measured using real-time PCR analysis. RESULTS: miR-17 levels were significantly increased in PAH patients compared with healthy controls. They were also higher in PAH patients at World Health Organization functional class (WHO FC) III–IV than WHO FC I–II PAH patients. There was no significant difference in miR-20a levels between PAH patients and controls. miR-17 had a high area under the corresponding receiver operating characteristic curve. Further, we found that circulating miR-17 levels correlated with the 6-minute walk distance, mean pulmonary artery pressure, and mean right atrial pressure in PAH patients. CONCLUSION: Circulating miR-17 levels may be associated with human PAH. Therefore, miR-17 could be used as a diagnostic index and prognostic factor for PAH patients.