Citation

Sajja VSSS, Jablonska A, Haughey NJ, Bulte JWM, Stevens RD, Long J, Walczak P, Janowski M. J. Neurotrauma 2018; 35(2): 353-361.

Affiliation

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Institute for Cell Engineering , 733 N. Broadway street , Baltimore, United States , 21205 ; mjanows1@jhmi.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

10.1089/neu.2017.5009

PMID

29020847

Abstract

At present, accurate and reliable biomarkers to ascertain the presence, severity, or prognosis of blast traumatic brain injury (bTBI) are lacking. There is an urgent need to establish accurate and reliable biomarkers capable of mbTBI detection. Currently, there are no studies that identify changes in miRNA and lipids at varied severities of bTBI. Various biological components such as lipids, circulating mRNA, and miRNA, could potentially be detected using advanced techniques such as next-generation sequencing and mass spectroscopy. Thus, plasma analysis is an attractive approach with which to diagnose and treat brain injuries. Sub-acute changes in plasma microRNA (miRNA) and lipid composition for sphingolipids were evaluated in a murine model of mild-to-moderate bTBI using next-generation sequencing and mass spectroscopy respectively. Animals were exposed at 17, 17 X 3 and 20psi blast intensities using a calibrated blast simulator. Plasma lipid profiling demonstrated decreased C18 fatty acid chains of sphingomyelins and increased ceramide levels when compared to controls. Plasma levels of brain-enriched miRNA, miR-127 were increased in all groups whiled the let-7a, b and g was reduced in 17 X 3 and 20psi but let 7d was increased in 17psi group. The majority of the miRs and lipids are highly conserved across different species, making them attractive to explore and potentially employ as diagnostic markers. It is tempting to speculate that sphingolipids, miR-128 and let-7 family could predict mTBI, while combination of miR-484, miR-122, miR-148a, miR-130a and miR-223 could be used to predict overall status of injury following blast injury.

Language: en

Keywords

ADULT BRAIN INJURY; ANIMAL STUDIES; BIOMARKERS; GENETIC FACTORS; HEAD TRAUMA