@article{Ho:2026,
author = {Ho, V and Baker, J and Fenwick, P and Willison, K and Klug, D and Barnes, P and Donnelly, L},
journal = {American Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology},
title = {Single cell microfluidic quantification of miRNA-21 and miRNA-34a reveals miRNA interactions in small airway epithelial cells and fibroblasts from COPD patients},
year = {2026}
}

Download

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Rationale: MicroRNA-21 and microRNA-34a are implicated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis, but their cell-specific expression patterns and interactions within individual airway cells remain unexplored.Objective: To develop a single cell microfluidic platform for dual, amplification-free detection of miR-21-5p and miR-34a-5p in primary small airway cells from COPD patients.Methods: Small airway epithelial cells (SAEC) and fibroblasts (SAF) were isolated from COPD patients and non-smokers (n = 6–8 per group). A microfluidic chip with dual miRNA sandwich hybridisation assays was used to quantify miR-21-5p and miR-34a-5p in single cells. Expression of miRNAs and their target genes was evaluated under oxidative stress using qPCR and Western blotting.Main Results: Single cell analysis revealed significantly higher miR-21-5p and miR-34a-5p expression in COPD-derived cells compared to controls. MiR-21 exhibited greater variability than miR-34a, and their positive correlation in control cells was disrupted in COPD. Oxidative stress elevated miR-21 and miR-34a while reducing expression of miR-21 targets and increasing senescence markers (p21Cip1/Waf1, p16INK4a). MiR-21 antagomir restored expression of suppressed targets in both cell types.Conclusions: Our novel single cell microfluidic platform enables precise, simultaneous detection of miR-21 and miR-34a in single small airway cells. This allows the interrelationship between the miRNAs to be assessed within the same cell. MiR-21 and miR-34a represent promising therapeutic targets for restoring gene regulatory balance in COPD.
AU  - Ho,V
AU  - Baker,J
AU  - Fenwick,P
AU  - Willison,K
AU  - Klug,D
AU  - Barnes,P
AU  - Donnelly,L
PY  - 2026///
SN  - 1040-0605
TI  - Single cell microfluidic quantification of miRNA-21 and miRNA-34a reveals miRNA interactions in small airway epithelial cells and fibroblasts from COPD patients
T2  - American Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology
ER  - 

Download