Long non-coding RNA NEAT1 and its targets (microRNA-21 and microRNA-125a) in rheumatoid arthritis: Altered expression and potential to monitor disease activity and treatment outcome

Background The present study aimed to explore the association of long non-coding RNA nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (lnc-NEAT1) with inflammation, disease activity, treatment outcome, and its targets (microRNA [miR]-21 and miR-125a) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were sampled from 130 RA patients at baseline, week (W) 6, and W12, as well as from 60 healthy controls (HCs) after enrollment. Meanwhile, the expressions of lnc-NEAT1, miR-21, and miR-125a were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results lnc-NEAT1 was elevated, but miR-21 and miR-125a were declined in RA patients compared with HCs (all p < 0.001); meanwhile, lnc-NEAT1 was negatively correlated with miR-21 and miR-125a (both p < 0.05) in RA patients. Besides, elevated lnc-NEAT1 but declined miR-21 and miR-125a were correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein and the 28-joint Disease Activity-ESR score (all p < 0.05) in RA patients. Moreover, lnc-NEAT1 was declined from baseline to W12 in RA patients (p < 0.001). Additionally, lnc-NEAT1 at W12 was declined in response patients compared with non-response patients (p = 0.006), and also decreased in remission patients compared with non-remission patients (p < 0.001). Conclusion lnc-NEAT1 and its targets (miR-21 and miR-125a) correlate with RA risk and disease activity, and declined lnc-NEAT1 associates with better treatment outcome to some extent in RA patients, suggesting that lnc-NEAT1 might be a potential biomarker to monitor disease activity and treatment outcome in RA.