Background: The advent of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines holds promise in preventing severe Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), yet kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) exhibit poor vaccine response, necessitating booster doses. Our study aims to explore miRNA differences between KTRs who respond to the three-dose vaccine regimen and who do not respond to three-dose vaccine regimen, shedding light on potential factors influencing vaccine efficacy in KTRs.
Methods: In our study, we recruited a total of 16 kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) who had received the standard three-dose regimen of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The plasma miRNA expression profiles were measured using qPCR NextAmp™ Analysis System and mirSCAN™ V2 PanelChip. We sought to investigate changes in miRNA profiles among two distinct groups of KTRs: those who do not respond to vaccine regimen (n = 4) and those who respond to vaccine regimen (n = 12).
Results: Seven differently expressed miRNAs were identified: hsa-miR-146a-5p, hsa-miR-143-3p, hsa-miR-28-3p, hsa-miR-205-5p, hsa-miR-30a-5p, hsa-miR-199a-3p, and hsa-miR-20a-5p. These miRNAs displayed significant upregulation following administration of three vaccine doses in vaccine responding KTRs (n = 12). Moreover, all of them were not detected in individuals who do not respond to three-dose vaccine regimen (n = 4).
Conclusion: In conclusion, our study underscores the pivotal role of miRNAs in modulating viral RNA interactions, offering crucial insights into the pathological mechanisms underlying viral infections. Specifically, our findings highlight the impact of seven identified miRNAs in enhencing vaccination protection, possibly through modulation of immunological response mechanisms. These discoveries emphasize the significant potential of vaccination to influence diverse molecular processes, shedding light on avenues for further research and therapeutic intervention.