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Volume 35, Issue 1, March 2024



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Mediterr J Rheumatol 2021;32(4):324-30
Plasma MicroRNAs (miR-146a, miR-103a, and miR-155) as Potential Biomarkers for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Disease Activity in Iranian Patients
Authors Information
  1. Molecular Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
  2. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
  3. Internal Medicine Resident, Department of Internal Medicine, Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
  4. Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Ali-Ibn-Abi-Talib Hospital, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
Abstract
Background: Previous studies have shown that several microRNAs (miRNAs) are dysregulated in the whole blood as well as diverse cells and tissues from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The aim of the current study was to determine if the expression of miR-146a, miR-103a, and miR-155 in whole blood of RA patients could confer potential markers in evaluating of activity-severity of the disease in RA patients with established disease. Methods: Whole blood samples were obtained from 30 RA patients and 30 healthy subjects.The RNA content of blood samples was isolated, cDNA was synthesized, and transcript levels of miR-146a, miR-103a, and miR-155 were determined using Real-time PCR. The clinicopathological characteristics of the patients were also evaluated. Results: It was detected that expression level of miR-146a (fold change=1.85, P=0.004), miR-103a (fold change=2.44, P=0.0018), and miR-155 (fold change=1.94, P=0.0025) were significantly upregulated in the whole blood samples of RA patients in comparison to that of healthy subjects. Expression level of miRNAs was correlated with clinicopathological characteristics of the patients, including Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), Simple Disease Activity Index (SDAI), 28Tender Joint Count (TJC-28), 28Swollen Joint Count (SJC-28), C-reactive protein (CRP), Rheumatoid factor (RF), and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies. Conclusions: Upregulated levelsof miR-146a, miR-103a, and miR-155 in the whole blood samples of RA patients could confer a potential marker of activity-severity of the disease in RA patients with established disease.

Article Submitted: 13 Oct 2020; Revised Form: 15 Mar 2021; Article Accepted: 26 Mar 2021; Available Online: 27 Dec 2021

https://doi.org/10.31138/mjr.32.4.324

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 

©Bagheri-Hosseinabadi Z, Mirzaei MR, Hajizadeh MR, Asadi F, Rezaeian R, Abbasifard M.