MicroRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ levels in lung tissue and plasma are increased by the stimulation of particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2.5μm, and are associated with the poor prognosis of asthma induced pulmonary arterial hypertension patients

This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5)-related microRNA-206 combined with interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13 and interferon-γ (INF-γ) in asthma induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Fifty SPF BALB/c mice were divided into 5 groups: control group, asthma + PAH group, low-toxic asthma + PAH group, moderately-exposed asthma + PAH group, highly-exposed asthma + PAH group. Differences of microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ expression in lung tissue and plasma were detected. A total of 98 patients with asthma induced PAH and 98 healthy persons were collected. Patients were followed up for 12 months. Based on microarray analyses, we found that microRNA-206 may be involved in asthma induced PAH stimulated by PM2.5. Compared with healthy people, plasma microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ levels in asthma induced PAH patients were significantly higher (<i>P</i>&lt; .05). Compared with survivors, plasma microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ levels in non-survivors were significantly higher (<i>P</i>&lt; .05). Survival analyses showed that compared with low microRNA-206, low IL-4, low IL-13 and low INF-γ groups, survival rate of patients in high microRNA-206 (<i>χ² </i>= 4.864, <i>P</i>= .013), high IL-4 (<i>χ² </i>= 3.774, <i>P</i>= .038), high IL-13 (<i>χ² </i>= 8.375, <i>P</i>&lt; .001) and high INF-γ groups (<i>χ² </i>= 9.007, <i>P</i>&lt; .001) were significantly reduced. Established prognostic evaluation model was built and the estimated probability was 0.473. Compared with estimated probability ≤ 0.473, survival rate of patients in estimated probability&gt; 0.473 was significantly reduced (<i>χ² </i>= 17.377, <i>P</i>&lt; .001). Current model combining plasma microRNA-206, IL-4, IL-13, and INF-γ has potential significance for prognosis of asthma induced PAH.