Assessing the Expression Levels of miR-1307-3p and miR-3613-5p in COVID-19 Patients

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the immune response to infectious diseases. They exhibit alterations during the early stages of disease development, even before the pathogen is detectable.

The objective of this study was to analyze the expression levels of miR-1307-3p and miR-3613-5p at the onset of COVID-19, aiming to identify miRNAs that could function as early predictive biomarkers.

This case-control study analyzed the expression levels of miR-1307-3p and miR-3613-5p at the onset of COVID-19 to identify early predictive biomarkers. Plasma miRNAs from 26 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the ICU ward were sequenced and compared to a healthy control group of 26 individuals. Additionally, plasma biomarkers associated with the immune system were evaluated. Total RNA was extracted using an RNX solution and subjected to cDNA synthesis with a specific loop sequence for each miRNA. The samples were subsequently analyzed using relative real-time PCR.

RT-qPCR analysis revealed a significant reduction in the detection rate of miR-1307-3p (P < 0.0001) in the patient group compared to the control group. Conversely, no significant differences were observed in the levels of miR-3613-5p between the patient and control groups.

miR-1307-3p shows potential as a biomarker for the diagnosis of COVID-19.