Altered miRNA expression in lung tissues of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

초록

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex disorder characterized by airflow limitation. Epigenetic control affects gene expression in the lung, and microRNAs (miRNAs) are one of the primary types of epigenetic modifiers. In this study, lung tissues were obtained from 15 COPD patients and 11 subjects with normal lung function. RNA was isolated from the samples, and small RNA sequencing was performed and miRNAs that were differentially expressed between the COPD and control lungs were identified. A total of 12 miRNAs were shown to be differentially expressed (false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05) between the lung tissues of COPD and control subjects. Based on the predicted target mRNAs of differentially expressed miRNAs, the gene ontologies that were most enriched were nuclear lumen and transcription initiation. Further investigation of these miRNAs and their target genes will enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in COPD.

키워드