MicroRNA-sequencing of plasma from patients in the Osteoarthritis Initiative Cohort

Objective: we aimed to identify circulating microRNAs associated with fast-progressing knee osteoarthritis (OA) as compared to slow-progressing knee OA and non-progressing knee OA using sujects from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) cohort. MicroRNA libraries were prepared from plasma using the QIAseq miRNA Library Kit (QIAGEN) and sequenced on the Illumina NextSeq550 using a single-end 75-base read protocol to an average depth of 11.6 ± 2.6 SD million reads per sample. Overall design: MicroRNA-sequencing was performed on plasma collected at baseline and 4-year follow-up from N=20 fast-progressors (Kellgren-Lawrence [KL] grade 0/1 at baseline to KL 3/4 by 4-year follow-up), N=35 slow-progressors (KL 0/1 at baseline and 4-year follow-up to KL 2/3/4 by 8-year follow-up), and N=51 non-progressors (KL 0/1 at baseline through to 8-year follow-up).