Fig. 1

Down-regulated miR-146a expression in PBNs from DAH patients. a Left, miR-146a levels in PBMCs from HCs and SLE patients. Middle, a negative correlation between miR-146a levels in PBMCs and activity scores. Right, miR-146a levels in PBMCs from HCs, Nil, LN and DAH patients. b A negative correlation between PBN counts and activity scores. Left, newly diagnosed and treatment-naïve SLE patients. Right, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-positive SLE patients. c Left, miR-146a levels in PBNs from HCs and SLE patients. Middle, a negative correlation between miR-146a levels in PBNs and activity scores. Right, miR-146a levels in PBNs from HCs, Nil, LN and DAH patients. d Left, TRAF6 levels in PBNs from HCs and SLE patients. Middle, TRAF6 levels in PBNs from HCs, Nil, LN and DAH patients. Right, A negative correlation between TRAF6 and miR-146a levels in PBNs from SLE patients. Values are mean ± SEM. Horizontal lines are mean values. Patient numbers, n = 60 for PBMCs, n = 15 (left) and n = 20 (right) for PBN counts, n = 16 for PBNs. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001