miRNAs in patients with Alström and Bardet-Biedl syndromes

We report miRNA profiling in patients with Alström syndrome (ALMS) and Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS). The aim of this study was to determine if the expression of circulating miRNAs in patients with ALMS and BBS differs from that in healthy and obese individuals and determine if miRNA levels correlate with metabolic tests, BMI-SDS and patient age. MiRNA was isolated from 2 ml of serum from blood samples collected during routine testing at patients’ medical centers. Study group included 13 ALMS patients, 7 BBS patients, 19 individuals with obesity and 23 healthy controls. Assays were performed in 2 batches (marked as A and B in sample Characteristics).