Analysis of serum miRNA profiles in seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis patients by small RNA sequencing

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a refractory autoimmune disease, affecting about 1% of the world's population. RA is divided into seronegative RA and seropositive RA. In addition to rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody, there are no other effective markers to judge seronegative RA and seropositive RA. However, the sensitivity and specificity of protein detection limit the diagnostic accuracy. Therefore, it is urgent to screen new effective diagnostic biomarkers. Serum miRNAs have been identified as reliable biomarkers and therapeutic targets for a variety of human diseases including autoimmune diseases, and the detection of serum miRNA is more sensitive and specific than protein detection. In this study, we revealed the expression profiles of serum miRNAs in seronegative RA patients (A-RA), seropositive RA patients (RA) and healthy controls (HC) by small RNA sequencing, and screened out the differentially expressed miRNAs and their target genes.