MicroRNA regulate immunological pathways in T-cells in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)

MicroRNA are small noncoding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression. To investigate the role of microRNA in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), we performed genome-wide expression analyses of mRNA and microRNA in T cells from ITP patients and controls. We identified 1915 regulated genes and 22 regulated microRNA that differed between ITP patients and controls. Seventeen of the 22 regulated microRNA were linked to changes in target gene expression; 57 of these target genes were associated with the immune system, eg, T-cell activation and regulation of immunoglobulin production. CXCL13 and IL-21 were two microRNA target genes significantly increased in ITP. We could demonstrate increased plasma levels of CXCL13 and others have reported increased plasma levels of interleukin-21 in ITP. Thus, regulated microRNA were significantly associated with both gene and protein expression of molecules in immunological pathways. We suggest that microRNA may be important regulatory molecules involved in the loss of tolerance in ITP.