RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the microRNA levels in the serum of dust exposure population. METHODS: By cluster random sampling method,479 dust exposure workers were selected as dust exposure group. Four hundred and thirty-four normal healthy people without occupational dust exposure history were selected as control group. Forty-three pneumoconiosis patients were selected as pneumoconiosis group. The peripheral venous blood of the objects of 3 groups were collected,and the plasma serum were separated for detecting the relative expression of miR-16,miR-21,miR-29 a,miR-155,miR-200 c,miR-204 and miR-206 in serum by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The difference of microRNA expression in the above 3 groups was observed. RESULTS: From high to low,the relative expression levels of miR-16,miR-29 a and miR-200 c were pneumoconiosis group > dust exposure group > control group( P < 0. 05),while the relative expression levels of miR-204 were control group > dust exposure group > pneumoconiosis group( P < 0. 05).The relative expression levels of miR-21 in dust exposure and pneumoconiosis groups were higher than that of control group,respectively( P < 0. 05). The relative expression level of miR-155 in dust exposure group was lower than that of control group( P < 0. 05). The relative expression level of miR-206 in pneumoconiosis group was higher than those of dust exposure group and control group respectively( P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: The miR-16,miR-29 a,miR-200 c and miR-204 could be used as biomarkers in early diagnosis of pneumoconiosis disease.
