Identification of New miRNA Biomarkers for Epilepsy: A qRT-PCR-Based Profiling Study

Abstract Epilepsy is a widespread neurological disorder affecting over 70 million individuals globally, with approximately 4.9 million new cases diagnosed annually. Despite extensive research, the underlying mechanisms of epilepsy remain poorly defined. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that play significant roles in the regulation of gene expression and have been increasingly implicated in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders, such as epilepsy. This study aimed to identify novel candidate miRNAs associated with epilepsy and evaluate their diagnostic potential. The expression profiles of 84 miRNAs were analyzed in plasma samples from 20 epilepsy patients and 25 controls using Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (Real-Time qRT-PCR) on the BioMarkTM 96.96 Dynamic Array (Fluidigm Corporation) system. In the epilepsy group, a total of 44 miRNAs exhibited decreased expression compared to the control group, of which 24 were statistically significant. In particular, 18 miRNAs showed a highly significant decrease in their expression levels ( p < 0.0001). Some of these miRNAs that showed the most significant decreases are: hsa-let-7e-5p, hsa-miR-105-5p, hsa-miR-106b-5p, hsa-miR-107, hsa-miR-125b-5p. In the epilepsy group, a total of 40 miRNAs showed increased expression compared to the control group, among which 28 were statistically significant. Notably, 23 miRNAs showed a highly significant increase in their expression levels ( p < 0.0001). Among these miRNAs, some of the most significantly increased ones are: hsa-miR-101-3p, hsa-miR-130a-3p, hsa-miR-132-3p, hsa-miR-146a-5p, hsa-miR-146b-5p. These findings suggest that miRNAs hold significant potential as innovative, non-invasive biomarkers for the early detection and diagnosis of epilepsy, offering a promising avenue for advancing clinical practices.