Identification of unique microRNA signature associated with lupus nephritis

MicroRNAs (miRNA) have emerged as an important new class of modulators of gene expression. In this sudy we investigated miRNA that are differentially expressed in lupus nephritis. Microarray technology was used to investigate differentially expressed miRNA in PBMCs and EBV-transformed cell lines obtained from lupus nephritis patients and controls. TaqMan-based stem-loop real-time PCR was used for validation. Microarray analysis of miRNA expressed in African Americans (AA) derived lupus nephritis samples revealed 29 differentially expressed miRNA, of 850 tested. Microarray analysis of miRNA expressed in European American (EA) derived lupus nephritis samples revealed 50 differentially expressed miRNA, of 850 tested. In this study 20 EBV-tranformed cell lined derived from AA samples were used (10 affected patients and 10 unaffected controls). All SLE patients fulfilled at least 4 out of 11 ACR criterior for lupus nephritis. 20 EBV-tranformed cell lined derived from European-American samples were used (10 affected patients and 10 unaffected controls). All SLE patients fulfilled at least 4 out of 11 ACR criterior for lupus nephritis.