Project description:There are no blood-based molecular biomarkers of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) to support clinical diagnosis. MicroRNAs are short noncoding RNAs with strong biomarker potential due to their cell-specific expression, mechanistic links to brain excitability, and stable and reliable detection in biofluids. Altered expression of circulating microRNAs has been reported in human epilepsy, but most studies collected samples from one clinical site, relied on a single platform for profiling or conducted minimal validation. We collected plasma samples from video-electroencephalogram-monitored adult TLE patients at epilepsy specialist centers in two different countries, performed genome-wide PCR-based and RNA sequencing during the discovery phase and validated in a large cohort of samples (>300 samples) that included patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. After profiling, validation of the discovery cohort and validation in the larger patient groups we identified miR-27a-3p, miR-328-3p and miR-654-3p with strong TLE biomarker potential. Plasma levels of these microRNAs were regulated in the same direction in plasma from epileptic mice, and furthermore were not different to healthy controls in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. The biomarker potential was extended by determining microRNA copy number in plasma and we demonstrate rapid detection of these microRNAs using an electrochemical RNA microfluidic disk as a prototype point-of-care device. Investigation of the molecular transport mechanism in plasma determined analysis of all three microRNAs within the exosome-enriched provided highest diagnostic accuracy while levels of Argonaute-bound miR-328-3p selectively increased in patient samples collected after seizures. In situ hybridization revealed the presence of miR-27a-3p and miR-328-3p within neurons in human brain and bioinformatics analysis predicted targets linked to growth factor signaling and apoptosis. Taken together, this study extends evidence for the biomarker potential of circulating microRNAs for epilepsy diagnosis and mechanistic links to underlying pathomechanisms.

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MicroRNA (miRNA) expression from blood plasma of patients with a prostate cancer

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