Investigation of the relationship between long non-coding RNA coromarker and oxidized LDL cholesterol levels in patients with atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is an immunometabolic disease involving chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysfunction. Identifying potential biomarkers for the complex pathological progression of atherosclerosis is crucial for its prevention and treatment. Studies demonstrate a strong relationship between atherosclerosis and epigenetic mechanisms. Studies focusing on the relationship between circulating lncRNAs and the development of atherosclerosis are gaining increasing importance. Furthermore, there is a relationship between inflammatory processes and LDL oxidation in the development of atherosclerosis. Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between the role of the CoroMarker (AC100865.1) gene in the development of atherosclerosis and oxidized LDL cholesterol levels. Expression levels of the long non-coding RNA CoroMarker gene were determined in patients with atherosclerosis (n=50 with coronary artery disease (CAD), n=44 with peripheral artery disease (PAD)) and healthy controls (n=97) using quantitative Real-Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR), and plasma ox-LDL levels were determined using Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA). In our study, expression levels of the lncRNA CoroMarker gene were found to be higher in the patient group compared to the control group, but did not reach the statistical significance level (p=0.32). When ox-LDL levels were compared between the patient and control groups, no statistically significant difference was found (p=0.189). When CoroMarker gene expression levels were compared between the patient and control groups according to gender, no statistically significant results were found in either the control or patient groups (p>0.05). A weak, positive correlation was found between CoroMarker gene expression levels and ox-LDL in the patient group, but the results did not reach statistical significance (rs = 0.06, p=0.71). When CoroMarker gene expression was compared with fasting blood glucose levels, a low-level positive correlation was found, but it did not reach statistical significance (rs= 0.18, p=0.086). A moderate, inverse, and significant correlation was observed between ox-LDL and HDL-cholesterol levels in the patient group (rs=-0.421, p=0.009). The study's finding that lncRNA CoroMarker expression levels were higher in the atherosclerosis patient group compared to healthy controls, but did not reach statistical significance, suggests a weak relationship between lncRNA CoroMarker and disease etiology. The lack of significance in the findings may be explained by the limited sample size and the use of cholesterol-lowering medications in the patient group.