Diagnostic potential of metastasis-associated-lung-adenocarcinoma-transcript-1 (MALAT-1) and TNFα and hnRNPL related immunoregulatory long non-coding RNA (THRIL) in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Relation to disease activity

Abstract Aim of the work To determine expression levels and diagnostic value of metastasis-associated-lung-adenocarcinoma-transcript-1 (MALAT-1) and TNFα and hnRNPL related immunoregulatory long non-coding RNA (THRIL) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to assess their role in the clinical characteristics of SLE and disease activity. Patients and methods Study included 40 patients with SLE and 30 matched controls. SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score was assessed. Expression levels of MALAT-1 and THRIL were detected in the serum by using Real-time polymerase chain reaction and 2 −ΔΔCT method. Results Mean age of patients was 40.1 ± 9 years (25–55 years), they were 38 females and 2 males and disease duration was 16.5 ± 3.9 years. Their mean SLEDAI was 5.8 ± 5.3. Expression levels of MALAT-1 and THRIL were found to be significantly upregulated in the serum of SLE patients compared with controls (set as 1). MALAT-1 fold change = 3.7 ± 3.8 (p = 0.009), and THRIL fold change = 3.6 ± 3.4 (p = 0.026). There were significant correlations between MALAT-1 with THRILL (r = 0.44, p = 0.005), proteinuria (r = 0.45, p = 0.006), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.43, p = 0.006) and SLEDAI (r = 0.36, p = 0.024). No significant correlations were found between THRIL and study parameters. Sensitivity and specificity of MALAT-1 and THRIL were determined (sensitivity 67.5% and 65% respectively), (specificity 100% for both, total accuracy 80% and 81.4% respectively), and the combined effect of both increased sensitivity and total accuracy to 70% and 82.9% respectively. THRIL was a significant predictor for SLE disease (p = 0.02). Conclusion MALAT-1 and THRIL may be potential diagnostic biomarkers for SLE and only MALAT-1 may be valuable in detecting disease activity.