Low miR-150-5p and miR-320b Expression Predicts Reduced Survival of COPD Patients

• Main Authors: Andreas Keller, Nicole Ludwig, Tobias Fehlmann, Mustafa Kahraman, Christina Backes, Fabian Kern, Claus F. Vogelmeier, Caroline Diener, Ulrike Fischer, Frank Biertz, Christian Herr, Rudolf A. Jörres, Hans-Peter Lenhof, Robert Bals, Eckart Meese
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-09-01
• Series: Cells
• Subjects: mirna; copd; cancer; survival
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/8/10/1162

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with an increased risk of death, reducing life expectancy on average between 5 and 7 years. The survival time after diagnosis, however, varies considerably as a result of the heterogeneity of COPD. Therefore, markers that predict individual survival of COPD patients are of great value. We analyzed baseline molecular profiles and collected 54 months of follow-up data of the cohort study &#8220;COPD and SYstemic consequences-COmorbidities NETwork&#8221; (COSYCONET). Genome-wide microRNA signatures from whole blood collected at time of the inclusion in the study were generated for 533 COPD patients including patients that deceased during the 54-month follow-up period (<i>n</i> = 53) and patients that survived this period (<i>n</i> = 480). We identified two blood-born microRNAs (miR-150-5p and miR-320b) that were highly predictive for survival of COPD patients. The expression change was then confirmed by RT-qPCR in 245 individuals. Ninety percent of patients with highest expression of miR-150-5p survived the 54-month period in contrast to only 50% of patients with lowest expression intensity. Moreover, the abundance of the oncogenic miR-150-5p in blood of COPD patients was predictive for the development of cancer. Thus, molecular profiles measured at the time of a COPD diagnosis have a high predictive power for the survival of patients.