microRNAs as biomarkers in pneumonia and COPD-exacerbation – the Bioinflame study

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading cause of death due to infectious diseases worldwide. Important clinical challenges for differential diagnosis are acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD). miRNAs are small noncoding RNAs regulating the expression of single genes or groups of genes on the post-transcriptional level, e.g. implicated in infectious diseases. Our aim is to decipher the miRNA expression pattern in PBMCs of patients suffering from CAP or AE-COPD, addressing their potential value as biomarkers as well as functional agents. In the Bioinflame study, healthy s…