Expression profile of plasma microRNAs in nonsyndromic cleft lip and their clinical significance as biomarkers.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the expression profile of plasma microRNAs in nonsyndromic cleft lip (NSCL) and their clinical significance as biomarkers.

METHODS: Agilent human miRNA microarray chips were used to analyze three NSCL plasma samples (mixed as CL group) and three normal plasma samples (mixed as Control group). Six selected plasma miRNAs were validated using qRT-PCR between another 13 CL and 11 healthy children. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was applied for three elevated miRNAs, miR-16-2-3p, miR-365a-3p and miR-877-5p. Their target genes were further assessed using gene ontology and pathway analysis.

RESULTS: The plasma miRNA differentially expressed (fold change ≥2) amounted to 305. In particular, it had been validated that miR-16-2-3p, miR-365a-3p and miR-877-5p were elevated in NSCL plasma samples. ROC curve analysis revealed that each microRNA was able to significantly discriminate NSCL subjects from normal controls. Gene ontology and pathway analysis revealed that many processes over-represented in CL are related to system development process, regulation of nitrogen compound metabolic process, FoxO signaling pathway and the ErbB signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that plasma miR-16-2-3p, miR-365a-3p and miR-877-5p might become biomarkers to diagnose NSCL and dysregulation of these miRNAs might be involved in the progression of NSCL.