Lnc-MEG3 acts as a potential biomarker for predicting increased disease risk, systemic inflammation, disease severity, and poor prognosis of sepsis via interacting with miR-21.

Background This study aimed to investigate the correlations of long non-coding RNA maternally expressed gene 3 (lnc-MEG3), microRNA (miR)-21, and lnc-MEG3/miR-21 axis with disease risk, inflammation, disease severity, and 28-day mortality of sepsis. Methods Totally, 219 sepsis patients and 219 health controls (HCs) were enrolled. Plasma samples were obtained from sepsis patients within 24 hours after admission and from HCs on enrollment to detect lnc-MEG3 and miR-21 expressions by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results The lnc-MEG3 expression and lnc-MEG3/miR-21 axis were increased, while miR-21 expression was decreased in sepsis patients compared with HCs. Lnc-MEG3 (area under the curve (AUC): 0.887, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.856-0.917) and lnc-MEG3/miR-21 axis (AUC: 0.934, 95% CI: 0.909-0.958) had good values for predicting elevated sepsis risk, while miR-21 (AUC: 0.801, 95% CI: 0.758-0.844) presented a good predictive value for reduced sepsis risk. Furthermore, lnc-MEG3 expression and lnc-MEG3/miR-21 axis positively correlated with, whereas miR-21 expression negatively correlated with acute pathologic and chronic health evaluation II, sequential organ failure assessment score, serum creatinine, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-17 in sepsis patients. Additionally, lnc-MEG3 (AUC: 0.704, 95% CI: 0.626-0.783) and lnc-MEG3/miR-21 axis (AUC: 0.669, 95% CI: 0.589-0.750) exhibited acceptable values in predicting higher 28-day mortality risk, while miR-21 (AUC: 0.588, 95% CI: 0.505-0.672) presented a poor predictive value for lower 28-day mortality risk in sepsis patients. Conclusion Lnc-MEG3 might serve as a potential biomarker for the development, progression, and prognosis prediction of sepsis via interacting with miR-21.