MicroRNA Networks in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: From Compartment-Specific Biomarkers to Precision Immune Endotypes
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous systemic autoimmune disease in which defective immune tolerance, nucleic-acid sensing, type I interferon activation, T- and B-cell dysregulation, immune-complex formation and tissue injury interact as a self-reinforcing network. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that fine-tune post-transcriptional gene expression and can simultaneously regulate multiple nodes of this network; their relevance to SLE therefore extends beyond simple differential expression to encompass epigenetic remodeling, extracellular-vesicle (EV) communication, inflammatory signaling and organ-specific injury. This critical narrative review synthesizes evidence published between 2020 and 2026 concerning miR-146a, miR-21, miR-155, miR-126, miR-150, miR-181a, miR-223, miR-125-family members, the miR-17~92 cluster and emerging EV-associated candidates, with particular emphasis on the compartment-dependence of miR-146a and on urinary/plasma EV biomarkers in lupus nephritis (LN). A regionally important Middle Euphrates cohort (Shlash et al.) is incorporated alongside international evidence to illustrate both the value and the limits of single-cohort biomarker studies. Across compartments, the literature supports miRNAs as important network regulators but does not support any single miRNA as a universal SLE biomarker: the direction and magnitude of change vary with cell type, biofluid, disease activity, treatment exposure and analytical workflow. We argue that clinical translation should move from single-miRNA discovery toward standardized, compartment-specific, multi-miRNA signatures that are analytically validated per the Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Experiments guidelines (MIQE 2.0), EV-characterized where relevant per the Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles guidelines (MISEV2023), and integrated with interferon activity, immune-cell endotype, renal biomarkers and longitudinal outcomes in prospective multicenter cohorts.
How to Cite This Article
Ahmed Abdulridha Ameen Shlash, Kais Khudhair AL hadrawi, Jinan Mohammed Hussein (2026). MicroRNA Networks in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: From Compartment-Specific Biomarkers to Precision Immune Endotypes . International Journal of Biological and Biomedical Research (IJBBMR), 2(5), 51-62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54660/IJBBR.2026.2.5.51-62