Association of miR-21-5p with routine biochemical markers and inflammatory cytokines in hemodialysis patients

Background: Although the role of miR-21-5p in some kidney diseases is relatively documented, the relationship of miR-21-5p with markers of bone metabolism and inflammation in patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) remains unclear. Here, we aim to explore the relationship of miR-21-5p with routine biochemical parameters, mineral bone disorders, and inflammatory markers in HD patients. Methods: Serum miR-21-5p expressions from 60 HD patients and 20 healthy controls were analyzed with qPCR. Bone metabolism-related parameters such as receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL), osteocalcin, calcium, phosphorus, and parathormone; inflammation-related markers such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-& alpha;), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and C-reactive protein (CRP); and oxidative stress markers such as total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) were measured in serum samples of HD patients. Results: We showed for the first time that miR-21-5p expressions were increased in patients receiving HD. In addition, miR-21-5p expressions showed a significantly positive correlation with bone metabolism markers, i.e. RANKL, osteocalcin, phosphorus, and parathormone, and inflammation markers, i.e. TNF-& alpha;, IL-6, and CRP. We detected that areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for miR-21-5p, RANKL, osteocalcin, TNF-a, IL-6, and oxidative stress index in HD patients were 0.9317, 0.7742, 0.9038, 0.7319, 0.7063, and 0.7738, respectively. Conclusion: Elevated miR-21-5p expressions are associated with routine biochemical and inflammatory markers in HD patients, suggesting that miR-21-5p might have diagnostic and/or therapeutic importance in the treatment of chronic kidney diseases.