Longitudinal variation of circulating Inc‐ITSN1‐2: A novel biomarker reflecting disease severity, inflammation, recurrence, and death risk in acute ischemic stroke patients

BACKGROUND: Long noncoding RNA intersectin 1–2 (lnc‐ITSN1‐2) regulates inflammation and neuronal apoptosis; meanwhile, the latter two factors participate in the pathogenesis of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Therefore, this study detected lnc‐ITSN1‐2 at multiple time points, aiming to explore its longitudinal variation and clinical value in the management of AIS patients. METHODS: The current study enrolled 102 AIS patients, then detected their lnc‐ITSN1‐2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) at baseline (D0), day (D)1, D3, D7, month (M)1, M3, M6, and year (Y)1 after admission using RT‐qPCR. Additionally, lnc‐ITSN1‐2 in PBMC of 50 controls was also detected. RESULTS: Lnc‐ITSN1‐2 was up‐regulated in AIS patients than that in controls (p < 0.001). Lnc‐ITSN1‐2 positively associated with NIHSS score, TNF‐α, and IL‐17A (all p < 0.050) but was not linked with IL‐6 (p = 0.093) in AIS patients. Notably, lnc‐ITSN1‐2 was gradually increased from D0 to D3; while it switched to decrease from D3 to Y1 in AIS patients. Lnc‐ITSN1‐2 disclosed similar longitudinal variation during 1 year in non‐recurrent (p < 0.001), recurrent (p = 0.001), and survived patients (p < 0.001), while the variation of lnc‐ITSN1‐2 in died patients was not obvious (p = 0.132). More importantly, lnc‐ITSN1‐2 at D0, D3, D7, M1, M3, M6, and Y1 was higher in recurrent AIS patients than that in non‐recurrent AIS patients (all p < 0.050); moreover, lnc‐ITSN1‐2 at D3, D7, M1, M3, and M6 was up‐regulated in died AIS patients than AIS survivors (all p < 0.050). CONCLUSION: The dynamic variation of Inc‐ITSN1‐2 could serve as a biomarker reflecting disease severity, inflammatory cytokines, recurrence, and death risk in AIS patients.