Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 28, 2025

Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform
Published on: November 30, 2016
Circulating miRNA-16 in inflammatory bowel disease and some clinical correlations - a cohort study in Bulgarian
1Clinic of Gastroenterology, "St. Marina" University Hospital of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria. avgustina_dobreva@yahoo.com.
Objective:
The pathogenesis of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes chronic inflammation and altered immune reactions. There are several publications, reporting that micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) may serve as a diagnostic biomarker with a potential to assess inflammation severity and treatment response1,2 in IBD patients. The objective of the study is to assess and correlate the serum expression of circulating miR-16 in IBD patients with some clinical parameters, such as extent, activity and severity of the disease.
Patients And Methods:
70 IBD patients [35 with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 35 with Crohn's disease (CD)] were included in the study. Serum miR-16 expression in both IBD diseases was assessed using reverse transcription quantitative real time PCR (RT-qPCR). Circulating miR-16 levels were also correlated with disease extent, activity and severity indices [Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI), Montreal classification, Partial Mayo score]. Serum expression of miR-16 in the 70 patients was also compared to miR-16 serum levels in 30 healthy control subjects.
Results:
The patients' group showed mean serum miR-16 expression of 3.07 for CD, 1.97 for UC and 1.61 for the control group of healthy subjects with a significant difference in the expression between groups. There is a significant correlation between increased serum expression of miR-16 and disease activity, extent and severity.
Conclusions:
The increased miR-16 serum expression correlates with disease activity, intestinal localization of CD, stenotic and penetrating phenotype. MiR-16 could serve as a potential biomarker to assess inflammation.
Related Concept Videos
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Pharmacological Management
Pharmacologic...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
MicroRNAs

