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

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. 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.