Abstract: Objective To screen, analyze and predict microRNAs （miRNAs） related to systemic scleroderma （SSc）. Methods Differentially expressed miRNAs between tissue samples from 3 patients with SSc and 3 normal human controls were screened with a gene chip including 924 miRNAs. Target genes regulated by differentially expressed miRNAs were searched with bioinformatics method. Finally, miRNAs related to SSc were predicted. Results There were 24 miRNAs differentially expressed between tissue samples of SSc and normal controls, including 9 up-regulated miRNAs and 15 down-regulated miRNAs. Literature review disclosed that SSc was associated with target genes regulated by hsa-miR-206, has-let-7g, hsa-miR-133a, hsa-miR-125b, hsa-miR-40-5p and hsa-miR-23b. In particular, 15 target genes regulated by hsa-miR-206 were closely correlated with the pathogenesis of SSc. Conclusions In lesions of SSc, there is an expression of miRNAs related to the pathogenesis of SSc, which may include hsa-miR-206 as well as 5 other miRNAs.

Key words: systemic scleroderma, MicroRNAs