LncRNA MZF1 Antisense RNA 1 Promotes Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Pneumonia in Children via miR-16-5p

Objective: To determine the expression, as well as the underlying mechanism, of lncRNA MZF1 antisense RNA 1 (MZF1-AS1) in Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP). Methods: GSE179051 was analyzed for differentially expressed lncRNAs in MP infection. The levels of MZF1-AS1 were determined by quantitative Real-time PCR in children with MPP and healthy subjects. The diagnostic value of MZF1-AS1 was assessed using ROC curves. The effects of MZF1-AS1 knockdown on A549, human primary alveolar macrophages (hpAM) and human airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell function were assessed. The downstream miRNA for MZF1-AS1 was predicted and validated. Results: MZF1-AS1 was a differentially expressed lncRNA in MP infection and significantly increased in MPP children, especially in those with new-onset asthma. ROC results revealed that MZF1-AS1 can distinguish MPP children from the controls with an area under the ROC curves (AUC) of 0.87 (sensitivity: 77.6%, specificity: 90.5%) at a threshold of 1.3451 and an AUC of 0.83 (sensitivity: 77.1%, specificity: 91.0%) at a threshold of 1.3539. MZF1-AS1 can distinguish the MPP combined with new asthma from the MPP without asthma with an AUC of 0.83 (sensitivity: 75.3%, specificity: 77.8%) at the threshold of 1.7888. Downregulation of MZF1-AS1 can alleviate inflammatory factor release in A549 and hpAM cells. miR-16-5p was a target of MZF1-AS1. Conclusion: MZF1-AS1 is upregulated in MPP children and might result in increased levels of inflammatory cytokines through targeting miR-16-5p, thus contributing to MPP.