The potential of microRNA-126 in predicting disease risk, mortality of sepsis, and its correlation with inflammation and sepsis severity

Background: MicroRNA-126 (miR-126) has been investigated in autoimmune diseases and organ failures, whereas its implication in sepsis is rarely reported. Our study initially explored the value of miR-126 in diagnosing sepsis and predicting disease severity, degree of inflammation, and mortality.

Methods: Totally, 208 sepsis patients and 210 healthy controls were enrolled; then, their plasma samples were collected for detecting circulating miR-126 by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. For sepsis patients, their cytokine levels in plasma samples were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: miR-126 was upregulated in sepsis patients compared with healthy controls, and it was of certain value in distinguishing sepsis patients from healthy controls (AUC: 0.726 (95% CI: 0.678-0.774)). miR-126 expression was positively correlated with acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score, serum creatinine, and C-reactive protein but not albumin or white blood cell count in sepsis patients. Regarding cytokines, miR-126 was positively correlated with tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8, but negatively correlated with IL-10 in sepsis patients. As for mortality, miR-126 expression was higher in deaths compared with survivors, and ROC curve displayed that it could predict mortality of sepsis patients to some extent with AUC of 0.619 (95% CI: 0.533-0.705).

Conclusion: miR-126 potentially serves as an assistant diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for sepsis.