sRNA-sequence.rar

<b>Background:</b> Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is the most common skeletal disease in postmenopausal women and emerging evidence demonstrated the important relationship between small non-coding RNAs and PMOP. However, piRNAs have not yet been reported in PMOP. <b>Aims:</b> This study aimed to investigate the differences in piRNA expression profiles in PMOP to identify the key circulating piRNAs in PMOP.<b>Methods: </b>Postmenopausal women with osteopenia (OPA), osteoporotic fracture (SOP)and normal bone mass (Controls) were enrolled. Serum exosomes were isolated by traditional differential ultracentrifugation from participants. Isolated exosomes were identified by electron microscopy, western blotting and nanoparticle-tracking analysis and then examined for exosomal small RNA sequencing. <b>Results: </b>Compared to controls, 249418 and 345599 piRNAs were significantly upregulated as well as 501095 and 481361 piRNAs downregulated in OPA and SOP, respectively. 85.61% and 89.12% downregulated piRNAs as well as 25.72% and 18.56% upregulated piRNAs were overlapped in OPA and SOP patients. 3565 downregulated and 4027 upregulated piRNAs were common intersected piRNAs among three groups. Among thses piRNAs, has-piR-010985, has-piR-013265, has-piR-005568 and has-piR-002501 as well as new finding piRNAs novel-pir-541077, novel-pir-972374 and novel-pir-218122 were the most common regulated piRNAs.<b>D</b><b>iscussion:</b> There were significant regulated piRNAs in PMOP which may provide clues for further understanding the biological function of piRNAs in PMOP; however the role of piRNAs in osteoporosis needs to be further addressed.<b>Conclusions:</b><b> </b>Serum exosomal piRNAs are differentially expressed in PMOP, which provides the first evidence that exosomal piRNAs may serve as candidate diagnostic biomarkers as well as potentially contribute to pathophysiology of PMOP.