Evaluation of long noncoding RNA expression profiles of atherosclerotic tissue samples obtained by carotid endarterectomy

Title: Evaluation of long noncoding RNA expression profiles of atherosclerotic tissue samples obtained by carotid endarterectomy Aim: In this study, it is aimed to compare the expression profiles in patients and controls by examining the expression levels of H19, GAS5, ANRIL, TUG1, HOTAIR, LincRNA-p21, MEG3, STEEL, LEENE, LeXIS, MALAT1, MIAT, GATA6-AS, SENCR, APOA1-AS, to determine the differentially expressed lncRNA in symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. Therefore it is aimed to evaluate the relationship of these lncRNAs with the disease in cases, and to evaluate the usability of blood for non-invasive approaches. Method: Two groups of 24 symptomatic and 24 asymptomatic patients with carotid artery stenosis were defined, and carotid endarterectomy plaque tissue and arterial catheter blood were obtained from the patients in these two groups. Peripheral blood samples taken from 48 control individuals without carotid stenosis were examined. Expression levels of 15 lncRNAs were analyzed by the Real-Time PCR method. Results: In comparing the blood samples of individuals from the symptomatic and asymptomatic patient groups and the control group; statistically significant differences were observed in the expression levels of H19, GAS5, ANRIL, TUG1, HOTAIR, LincRNA-P21, LEENE lncRNAs. Between the carotid plaque tissues of the symptomatic patient group and the asymptomatic patient group; statistically significant differences were detected in the expression levels of the remaining 14 lncRNAs, except MEG3 lncRNA. Conclusion: In the comparison of lncRNA in the blood samples of the patient groups and the control group, expression differences of 7 lncRNAs were detected and it was observed that their discriminatory power was high. We consider that the expression differences of the lncRNAs evaluated in the study in two different clinical groups of the disease may be effective in plaque development and rupture, and that these lncRNAs can be used as a potential non-invasive biomarker that may be associated with the disease. Key words: Atherosclerosis, Carotid artery stenosis, LncRNA