The clinical value of long noncoding RNA GAS5 in acute ischemic stroke: Correlation with disease risk, inflammation, severity, and risk of recurrence

Abstract

Background Long noncoding RNA growth arrest‐specific 5 (lnc‐GAS5) is involved in the pathophysiology of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) by regulating vascular stenosis, inflammation, and neurocyte apoptosis. This study aimed to explore the clinical value of lnc‐GAS5 in patients with AIS. Methods Plasma samples were collected from 120 patients with AIS at admission and 60 controls after enrollment, and lnc‐GAS5 expression in the plasma of all participants was assessed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In patients with AIS, disease severity was evaluated using National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, and plasma inflammatory cytokine levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Recurrence‐free survival (RFS) was calculated during a 36‐month follow‐up period. Results Lnc‐GAS5 expression levels were higher in patients with AIS than in the controls (p < 0.001), and it had the potential to discriminate the controls from patients with AIS (area under the curve: 0.893, 95% confidence interval: 0.849–0.938). In patients with AIS, elevated lnc‐GAS5 levels were positively correlated with NIHSS score (r = 0.397, p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.046), and higher levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α; r = 0.374, p < 0.001), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6; r = 0.223, p < 0.001), and interleukin‐17A (IL‐17A; r = 0.222, p = 0.015). The expression levels of lnc‐GAS5 were also negatively correlated with the levels of interleukin‐10 (IL‐10; r = −0.350, p < 0.001) and RFS (p = 0.036). Conclusion Lnc‐GAS5 is correlated with higher susceptibility to AIS, inflammation, and severity, and can predict an increased risk of AIS recurrence, indicating that monitoring of lnc‐GAS5 might improve the management of AIS.

Epigenetic mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets in stroke

“…GAS5 increased in the blood of stroke patients where it was associated with increased stroke risk and poor rehabilitative outcomes in hypertensive, diabetic, and aged stroke patients. 127,128…”

“…GAS5 increased in the blood of stroke patients where it was associated with increased stroke risk and poor rehabilitative outcomes in hypertensive, diabetic, and aged stroke patients. 127,128 The lncRNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) was upregulated in the core, but downregulated in the penumbra following transient MCAO in rodents. 129,130 MEG3 has been shown to play a role in the recruitment of EZH2 and the PRC2 component jumonji and AT-rich interaction domain containing 2 (JARID2) and histone H3 methylation.…”