Among these microRNAs, miR-142-3p/5p and miR-146a expression was found to be significantly increased in MPA-treated lupus CD4(+)T cells compared to untreated controls.
Moreover, miRNA146a expression correlates negatively to lupus activity and LN, whereas serum IFN-α has a direct correlation to both disease activity and nephritis; hence, both miRNA146a expression and serum IFN-α could be potentially important diagnostic biomarkers and potential novel strategies for therapeutic interventions, which may possibly be implied to enhance the sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of flares and prognosis in SLE patients.