The association of miR-191-5p in acne vulgaris and its predictive value for disease progression

Objectives Acne vulgaris is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease predominantly affecting adolescents. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic value of miR-191-5p in acne vulgaris and its predictive potential for disease progression. Methods Relative expression of miR-191-5p was evaluated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The diagnostic value was calculated via the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, with the area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient analyzed the correlation between miR-191-5p and clinical features. Results miR-191-5p was increased in acne vulgaris patients than in controls. miR-191-5p had high diagnostic value for acne vulgaris (AUC=0.852, sensitivity=83.93 %, specificity=80.00 %, and cutoff value=1.285). miR-191-5p levels were enhanced in moderate to severe acne vulgaris when compared to those with mild cases. The miR-191-5p can effectively distinguish patients experiencing moderate plus severe acne vulgaris from those with mild stage (AUC=0.805, sensitivity=77.42 %, specificity=76.00 %, and cutoff value=1.490). miR-191-5p expression was notably related to total cholesterol (TC) ( r =0.211, p=0.023), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ( r =−0.188, p=0.043), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) ( r =0.184, p=0.048), dihydrotestosterone (DHT) ( r =0.478, p<0.001), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) ( r =0.473, p<0.001), and androstadienedione (AD) ( r =0.314, p=0.001) levels. Conclusions miR-191-5p is upregulated in acne vulgaris and possesses high diagnostic value for acne vulgaris and severity grades. The correlation with clinical features suggests its involvement in lipid metabolism and hormonal balance.