The relationship between prognosis of patients with traumatic brain injury and microRNA biogenesis proteins

Abstract

Abstract Purpose This study aims to investigate whether the expression levels of proteins involved in microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis vary in the early- and late-stage traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients and to evaluate its effect on prognosis. Methods Dicer, Drosha, DiGeorge Syndrome Critical Region 8 (DGCR8), Exportin5 (XPO5), and Argonaute2 (AGO2) levels were measured in the blood samples of moderate TBI patients collected 4 to 6 hours and 72 hours after the trauma and compared with the control group. Prognostic follow-up of the patients was performed using the Glasgow Coma Scale. Results There were no statistically significant changes in the expression of the miRNA biogenesis proteins Dicer, Drosha, DGCR8, XPO5, and AGO2 in patients with moderate TBI. However, the expression of Dicer increased in the patients of whose GKS scores and neurologic examination were improved, and the expression of AGO2 decreased in most of these patients. The Dicer expression profile was found to increase in patients discharged from the intensive care unit in a short time. Conclusions MicroRNAs and their biogenesis proteins may guide prognostic and therapeutic decisions for patients with TBI in the future.