From genetics to epigenetics to unravel the etiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.
Scoliosis is defined as the three-dimensional (3D) structural deformity of the spine with a radiological lateral Cobb angle (a measure of spinal curvature) of ≥10° that can be caused by congenital, developmental or degenerative problems. However, those cases whose etiology is still unknown, and affect healthy children and adolescents during growth, are the commonest form of spinal deformity, known as adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). In AIS management, early diagnosis and the accurate prediction of curve progression are most important because they can decrease negative long-term effects of AIS treatment, such as unnecessary bracing, frequent exposure to radiation, as well as saving the…
Circulating miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
AbstractThe aetiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has been linked to many factors, such as asymmetric growth, neuromuscular condition, bone strength and genetic background. Recently, epigenetic factors have been proposed as contributors of AIS physiopathology, but information about the molecular mechanisms and pathways involved is scarce. Regarding epigenetic factors, microRNAs (miRNAs) are molecules that contribute to gene expression modulation by regulating important cellular pathways. We herein used Next-Generation Sequencing to discover a series of circulating miRNAs detected in the blood samples of AIS patients, which yielded a unique miRNA biomarker signature that diagnos…