Separation of circulating microRNAs using apheresis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Homo sapiens

Examined the removal or reduction of circulating miRNAs with apheresis. The levels of expression of a large number of circulating miRNAs were measured in the plasma samples separated by the primary membranes from all 3 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. This is the first report that circulating miRNAs in peripheral blood can be separated and possibly directly removed using membrane separation apheresis. Overall design: Collected blood and separated plasma samples from 3 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who were undergoing plasmapheresis at our hospital. Peripheral blood was collected before and after it was passed through a primary membrane, centrifuged, and used to extract circulating miRNAs.