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miRNAs and related polymorphisms in rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility

Anthoula Chatzikyriakidou1, Paraskevi V Voulgari, Ioannis Georgiou

  • 1Genetics Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.

Autoimmunity Reviews
|November 22, 2011
PubMed

Insights

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key epigenetic regulators in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility. This review examines specific miRNA expression patterns and polymorphisms in RA patients, proposing targets for future genetic association studies.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Epigenetics
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex autoimmune disease influenced by genetic and environmental factors.
  • Epigenetic mechanisms, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), are increasingly recognized for their role in gene expression regulation.
  • Dysregulation of specific miRNAs has been observed in RA patients, suggesting their involvement in disease pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of microRNA involvement in rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility.
  • To identify specific microRNAs and their gene targets with altered expression patterns in RA.
  • To propose novel miRNA and gene target polymorphisms for future investigation in RA predisposition.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of genetic association studies focusing on rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Analysis of documented microRNA expression patterns in various RA patient tissue samples.
  • In silico identification and proposal of potentially significant miRNA and gene target polymorphisms using web-based tools.

Main Results:

  • Several microRNAs, including mir-146a, miRNA-155, and miRNA-124a, exhibit differential expression in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
  • Polymorphisms in these microRNAs and their gene targets have been previously associated with RA and other autoimmune diseases.
  • Specific microRNA and gene target polymorphisms are proposed for further validation in RA genetic studies.

Conclusions:

  • MicroRNAs represent a significant epigenetic regulatory layer in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis.
  • Investigating the role of specific miRNA polymorphisms and their targets holds promise for understanding RA susceptibility.
  • Further genetic association studies are warranted to elucidate the precise contribution of these epigenetic factors to RA predisposition.

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