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DICER and DROSHA gene expression in peripheral mononuclear blood cells from rheumatoid arthritis patients under

I E Malysheva1, L V Topchieva1, O V Balan1

  • 1Institute of Biology of the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, laboratory of genetics; Petrozavodsk, Russia.

Terapevticheskii Arkhiv
|February 1, 2019
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with decreased DICER gene expression in peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMC). Methotrexate therapy does not alter DICER mRNA levels in RA patients.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation.
  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in regulating immune responses and are implicated in RA pathogenesis.
  • DROSHA and DICER are key enzymes in miRNA biogenesis, making their expression levels relevant to RA.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression levels of DROSHA and DICER genes in peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs) of RA patients.
  • To assess the impact of methotrexate (MTX) therapy on DROSHA and DICER gene expression in RA patients.

Main Methods:

  • Real-time PCR was used to quantify DICER and DROSHA gene expression.
  • Peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs) were analyzed from three groups: healthy donors (n=33), RA patients without therapy (n=15), and RA patients on methotrexate therapy (n=34).

Main Results:

  • DICER gene expression was significantly reduced in PBMCs of RA patients, both those untreated and those treated with methotrexate, compared to healthy controls (p<0.001).
  • No significant difference in DROSHA gene expression was observed across all study groups (p>0.05).
  • Methotrexate therapy did not show a significant influence on the mRNA levels of DICER in RA patients.

Conclusions:

  • The study suggests that DICER gene expression is downregulated in PBMCs during the development of rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Methotrexate therapy does not appear to affect the mRNA levels of the DICER gene in RA patients.
  • Further research is warranted to understand the functional implications of altered DICER expression in RA.
Keywords:
DROSHA and DICER genesexpressionmethotrexatemicroRNArheumatoid arthritis

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