Associations of circulating miR-145-5p, -181b-5p, and -195-5p levels with coronary artery calcification

Aim. To study the associations of circulating microRNA levels — miR145-5p, -181b-5p, and -195-5p — with coronary artery calcification.

Material and methods. We analyzed data previously collected in a registered database (patent № RU 2024622531). The database is a dbf file (dBSAE IV) and contains 62 unique circulating microRNA profiles from patients at the Clinical Center of the I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University.

Results. Analysis of the 62 patient database revealed a significant association between reduced circulating miR-145-5p levels and coronary artery calcification, with an Agatston score >0 (p=0,005). In ROC analysis, combined models including miR-145-5p, miR-181b-5p, miR-195-5p and clinical and demographic factors (sex, smoking, nonHDL cholesterol) demonstrated high diagnostic performance as follows: area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0,85 for detecting any calcification (Agatston score >0), 0,82 for Agatston score ≥10 and 0,84 for significant calcification (Agatston score ≥100). The highest sensitivity (87,2%) and specificity (70%) for an Agatston score ≥10 were achieved using all three miRNAs with covariates, while for an Agatston score ≥100, the model combining miR-145-5p and clinical and demographic parameters was found to be optimal (sensitivity 75%, specificity 90%).

Conclusion. For the first time, a significant association between reduced circulating miR-145-5p levels and calcinosis was identified. Diagnostic models combining the levels of the studied miRNAs with clinical and demographic factors demonstrated high efficiency in identifying various disease stages as follows: the model combining all three miRNAs demonstrated maximum sensitivity for early calcinosis, and the miR-145-5p-based model was optimal for significant calcinosis. Thus, profiling circulating microRNAs, particularly miR-145-5p, represents a promising noninvasive approach for early diagnosis and personalized risk stratification.

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