[MicroRNA profiling in T cells of peripheral blood mononuclear cell from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis].

Objective: To explore the expression pattern of microRNA (miRNA) in T cells of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).

Methods: The expression profile of miRNA in T cells of PBMC was determined by microarray assay and validated by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Results: In comparison with the healthy controls, 23 miRNA were down-regulated and 2 miRNA had a higher expression (all P < 0.05). As revealed by qRT-PCR, the expressions of miR-346, miR-17-5p, miR-20a and miR-let-7b decreased obviously while miR-451 and miR-129 became up-regulated. The results were in agreement with those of microarray.

Conclusions: The PBC patients and healthy controls have significantly different expression profiles of microRNA in T cells of PBMC. The differential expression of microRNA may be involved in the pathogenesis of PBC.