WANG, N. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2026

Circulating MicroRNAs as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BackgroundCurrent heart failure (HF) biomarkers (e.g., BNP/NT-proBNP) have limitations in specificity and performance in HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are promising novel biomarkers. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the diagnostic stability of circulating miRNAs for HF, identify novel candidates, and prioritize them for clinical translation. MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central were searched from inception to March 2025. Studies comparing miRNA expression in HF versus control groups using blood or tissue samples were included. Data were extracted, and study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (human) and SYRCLEs tool (animal). A random-effects model pooled log odds ratios (logORs) for each miRNA. Subgroup analyses were based on species, ethnicity, and sample type. Evidence quality was graded using the GRADE framework. ResultsEighty-six studies (61 human, 25 animal) with 3,023 samples were included. Meta-analysis identified 71 consistently dysregulated circulating miRNAs (58 up, 13 down) in HF. Key upregulated miRNAs included miR-21 (logOR=8.15, 95% CI: 7.55-8.74), miR-423-5p, and miR-210. Key downregulated miRNAs included miR-144 and miR-126. Subgroup analyses revealed differences by species, ethnicity (Asian vs. non-Asian), and sample type (serum vs. plasma). GRADE assessment classified five miRNAs (miR-1, miR-21, miR-221, miR-423-5p, miR-148a) as high-quality evidence. ConclusionsThis meta-analysis identifies a panel of circulating miRNAs with stable expression in HF, with miR-21 and miR-423-5p being the most robust. Evidence grading provides a clear priority list (e.g., miR-21, miR-423-5p) for clinical validation. Subgroup heterogeneity highlights the need for standardized protocols and precision diagnostics in future biomarker development.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2022

The plant nuclear lamina disassembles to regulate genome folding in stress conditions

The nuclear lamina (NL) is a complex network of nuclear lamins and lamin-associated nuclear membrane proteins, which scaffold the nucleus to maintain structural integrity. In Arabidopsis thaliana, Nuclear Matrix Constituent Proteins (NMCPs) are essential components of the NL and are required to maintain the structural integrity of the nucleus and specific perinuclear chromatin anchoring. At the nuclear periphery, suppressed chromatin overlapping with repetitive sequences and inactive protein coding genes are enriched. At a chromosomal level, plant chromatin organization in interphase nuclei displays flexibilities in response to various developmental cues and environmental stimuli. Based on these observations in Arabidopsis, and given the role of AtNMCP genes (CRWN1 and CRWN4) in organizing chromatin positioning at the nuclear periphery, one can expect considerable changes in chromatin-NL interactions when the global chromatin organization patterns are being altered in plants. Here, we report the highly flexible nature of plant nuclear lamina, which disassembles substantially under various stress conditions. Particularly, under heat stress, we reveal that chromatin domains, initially tethered to the nuclear envelope, remain largely associated with CRWN1 and become scattered in the inner nuclear space. Via investigating the three-dimensional chromatin contact network, we further reveal that CRWN1 proteins play a structural role in shaping the changes in genome folding under heat stress. Also, CRWN1 acts as a negative transcriptional co-regulator to modulate the shift of the plant transcriptome profile in response to heat stress.

genomics↗