<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine whether the
miRNA expression profile in
peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) differs between
liver transplant recipients with long-term stable
survival and those with acute rejection.</p><p><b>
METHODS</b>Twenty-nine
liver transplant recipients with long-term stable
survival (STA) group, 10 recipients with acute rejection (RJ group), and 17
healthy subjects (
control group) were recruited for
genome-wide
microarray analysis of
miRNA expressions in the PBMCs. The differentially expressed
miRNAs among the 3 groups were validated by
real-time PCR, and the targets of these
miRNAs were predicted.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the RJ group, the STA group showed
down-regulation of 13
miRNAs in the PBMCs. Of these down-regulated
miRNAs,
miRNA-18b,
miRNA-340 and
miRNA-106b were validated by
real-time PCR, and the latter two
miRNAs were predicted to target the TGF-β pathway.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The differentially expressed
miRNAs in
liver transplant recipients with long-term stable
survival, namely
miRNA-18b,
miRNA-340 and
miRNA-106b, can be potential clinical
biomarkers to predict the outcomes of
liver transplantation.</p>