MiR-15a Functions as a Diagnostic Biomarker for Coronary Artery Disease

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to explore the diagnostic value of miR-15a in coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: After recruiting all the participants, peripheral blood samples were obtained according to the instructions. miR-15a expression was evaluated using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and IL-6, TNF-α, and hs-CRP expressions were detected using ELISA kits. RESULTS: The results elucidated a significantly decreased expression of miR-15a in peripheral blood samples from CAD patients compared to non-CAD controls (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, miR-15a expression was negatively correlated with LDL-C and Gensini score (p = 0.0059, 0.0243, respectively). Moreover, miR-15a expression was negatively correlated with inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, and hs-CRP (p = 0.0009, 0.0178, 0.0005, respectively). The receiver operating curve (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that miR-15a was a promising biomarker for early diagnosis of CAD with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9368. CONCLUSIONS: The present study elucidated a decreased miR-15a expression in CAD patients and showed negative correlations with LDL-C, Gensini score, and inflammatory cytokines. miR-15a may serve as a promising biomarker for early diagnosis of CAD.