01 Set MicroRNAs expression in patients with candidemia

Silvio Ragozzino

Candidemia is associated with a great morbidity and mortality. Prompt antifungal therapy is considered fundamental to improve outcomes, but delay in diagnosis represents an important limitation. So, identification of candidemia biomarkers would favor a better management of these infections. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNA that control gene expression and are involved in multiple cellular processes, including immune response and sepsis. The aim of this study is to analyze microRNAs expression in patients with candidemia. We compared 24 patients with candidemia vs. 24 controls without sepsis. MicroRNA expression of pooled samples (C. albicans, C. non-albicans, and controls) was determined by Next Generation Sequencing. Significant differences in microRNA expression among the groups were detected using t tests. Here we present the preliminary results of this work: miR99b and miR125a were found to be significantly upregulated in patients with candidemia by C. albicans as compared to controls. These results should be further validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.