Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17(8), 1367; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17081367
Plasma LncRNA-ATB, a Potential Biomarker for Diagnosis of Patients with Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis: A Case-Control Study
1
Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
2
Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
3
Long Hua Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518109, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Martin Pichler
Received: 23 June 2016 / Revised: 30 July 2016 / Accepted: 11 August 2016 / Published: 22 August 2016
(This article belongs to the Collection Regulation by Non-Coding RNAs)
Abstract
LncRNA-ATB (lncRNA was activated by transforming growth factor-β) has been reported to be involved in specific physiological and pathological processes in human diseases, and could serve as biomarkers for cancers. However, the role of lncRNA-ATB in coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between lncRNA-ATB and CWP. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect plasma lncRNA-ATB expression in 137 CWP patients, 72 healthy coal miners and 168 healthy controls. LncRNA-ATB was significantly upregulated in CWP (p < 0.05). Compared with the healthy controls and healthy coal miners, the odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for CWP were 2.57 (1.52–4.33) and 2.17 (1.04–4.53), respectively. LncRNA-ATB was positively associated with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) (r = 0.30, p = 0.003) and negative correlated with vital capacity (VC) (r = −0.18, p = 0.033) and forced vital capacity (FVC) (r = −0.18, p = 0.046) in CWP patients. Compared with healthy controls, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.84, resulting in a 71.17% sensitivity and 88.14% specificity. When compared with healthy coal miners, the AUC was 0.83, the sensitivity and specificity were 70.07% and 86.36%, respectively. LncRNA-ATB expression is commonly increased in CWP and significantly correlates with the TGF-β1 in CWP patients. Furthermore, elevated lncRNA-ATB was associated with CWP risk and may serve as a potential biomarker for CWP. View Full-TextKeywords:
coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP); long noncoding RNA; lncRNA-ATB; epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT); biomarker
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Ma, J.; Cui, X.; Rong, Y.; Zhou, Y.; Guo, Y.; Zhou, M.; Xiao, L.; Chen, W. Plasma LncRNA-ATB, a Potential Biomarker for Diagnosis of Patients with Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis: A Case-Control Study. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016, 17, 1367.
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