In a nested case-control study of 479 participants from an epidemiological cohort, eleven plasma miRNAs (after adjustment for six covariates) and five miRNAs (after adjustment for twelve covariates) were differentially expressed in relation to 3P-MACE or CVD death, but all DE miRNAs remain exploratory and require validation in larger independent populations.
Key Findings
Methods
The study evaluated associations between baseline plasma miRNA levels and incident three-point major adverse cardiovascular events (3P-MACE) in a nested case-control design within a prospective epidemiological cohort.
The study included 479 participants: 166 cases with 3P-MACE and 313 controls.
Controls were matched individually for sex, exact baseline age, and region of residence.
3P-MACE comprised CVD death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke.
Median follow-up was 10.4 years [7.0; 11.7].
Methods
Plasma miRNA profiles were obtained by small RNA sequencing of EDTA plasma.
Total RNA was isolated using the miRNeasy Serum/Plasma Advanced Kit.
Libraries were prepared with the QIAseq miRNA UDI Library Kit.
Sequencing was done on a NextSeq 550 (1 × 75 bp).
Results
After adjustment for six preanalytical and clinical covariates, eleven differentially expressed miRNAs retained significant associations with 3P-MACE or CVD death.
The abstract states that eleven DE miRNAs retained significant associations after the six-covariate adjustment.
The outcome associations were with 3P-MACE or CVD death.
Results
After adjustment for twelve preanalytical and clinical covariates, five differentially expressed miRNAs retained significant associations with 3P-MACE or CVD death.
The number of significant DE miRNAs decreased from eleven to five with more extensive covariate adjustment.
Associations were with 3P-MACE or CVD death.
Conclusions
The authors conclude that all DE miRNAs are exploratory and need validation before being used with traditional risk markers to predict MACE.
Findings support plasma miRNA profiles as potential MACE biomarkers.
Further studies in larger independent populations with cross-validation are required.
Integration with traditional risk markers should follow such validation.
What This Means
This study looked at tiny molecules called microRNAs in blood plasma to see whether they could help flag people who would later have a serious heart event, such as cardiovascular death, a non-fatal heart attack, or a non-fatal stroke. Researchers compared 166 people who had such an event with 313 similar people who did not, matched by sex, age, and region, using blood samples taken at the start of an epidemiological study and followed for a median of about 10 years.
They found that eleven microRNAs differed in relation to these events after accounting for six factors, such as sample handling and clinical characteristics. When twelve factors were accounted for, five microRNAs still showed significant associations with major cardiovascular events or cardiovascular death.
This research suggests blood microRNA profiles might one day help predict cardiovascular risk, but the authors stress the results are exploratory. The findings need to be confirmed in larger, independent groups before microRNAs could be combined with traditional risk markers in practice.
Kiseleva A, Sotnikova E, Zharikova A, Kutsenko V, Imaeva A, Balanova Y, et al.. (2026). Association Between Plasma microRNA Levels and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Participants from an Epidemiological Cohort.. International journal of molecular sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27209221