Customized Internal Reference Controls for Improved Assessment of Circulating MicroRNAs in Disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Altered levels of circulating extracellular miRNA in plasma and serum have shown promise as non-invasive biomarkers of disease. However, unlike the assessment of cellular miRNA levels for which there are accepted housekeeping genes, analogous reference controls for normalization of circulating miRNA are lacking. Here, we provide an approach to identify and validate circulating miRNA reference controls on a de novo basis, and demonstrate the advantages of these customized internal controls in different disease settings. Importantly, these internal controls overcome key limitations of external spike-in controls.

Methods

Using a global RT-qPCR screen of 1066 miRNAs in plasma from pulmonary hypertension patients (PAH) and healthy subjects as a case example, we identif

SUBMITTER: Schlosser K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4444297 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature