Circulating miR-181a and miR-223 expression with the potential value of biomarkers for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and predicting lupus nephritis

摘要

Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to the development and progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by affecting a wide range of targeted genes and facilitating the development of lupus nephritis (LN). The present study aimed to analyze the serum expression of miR-181a and miR-223 in SLE patients and to assess whether they could serve as novel biomarkers for SLE diagnosis and to distinguish LN.