RNA-sequencing analysis of umbilical cord plasma microRNAs from healthy newborns

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files
journal.pone.0207952.pdf(2.28 MB)
Published version
7412057.zip(1.05 MB)
Published version
Date
2018-12-03
Authors
Brennan, Gary P.
Vitsios, Dimitrios M.
Casey, Sophie
Looney, Ann-Marie
Hallberg, Boubou
Henshall, David C.
Boylan, Geraldine B.
Murray, Deirdre M.
Mooney, Catherine
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
PLoS ONE
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
MicroRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNA that regulate gene expression at a posttranscriptional level. MicroRNAs have been identified in various body fluids under normal conditions and their stability as well as their dysregulation in disease has led to ongoing interest in their diagnostic and prognostic potential. Circulating microRNAs may be valuable predictors of early-life complications such as birth asphyxia or neonatal seizures but there are relatively few data on microRNA content in plasma from healthy babies. Here we performed small RNA-sequencing analysis of plasma processed from umbilical cord blood in a set of healthy newborns. MicroRNA levels in umbilical cord plasma of four male and four female healthy babies, from two different centres were profiled. A total of 1,004 individual microRNAs were identified, which ranged from 426 to 659 per sample, of which 269 microRNAs were common to all eight samples. Many of these microRNAs are highly expressed and consistent with previous studies using other high throughput platforms. While overall microRNA expression did not differ between male and female cord blood plasma, we did detect differentially edited microRNAs in female plasma compared to male. Of note, and consistent with other studies of this type, adenylation and uridylation were the two most prominent forms of editing. Six microRNAs, miR-128-3p, miR-29a-3p, miR-9-5p, miR-218-5p, 204-5p and miR-132-3p were consistently both uridylated and adenylated in female cord blood plasma. These results provide a benchmark for microRNA profiling and biomarker discovery using umbilical cord plasma and can be used as comparative data for future biomarker profiles from complicated births or those with earlylife developmental disorders
Description
Keywords
MicroRNA , Gene expression , RNA sequencing analysis , Umbilical cord plasma
Citation
Brennan, G.P., Vitsios, D.M., Casey, S., Looney, A.M., Hallberg, B., Henshall, D.C., Boylan, G.B., Murray, D.M. and Mooney, C., 2018. RNA-sequencing analysis of umbilical cord plasma microRNAs from healthy newborns. PLoS ONE 13(12): e020795, (26pp.) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207952