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MicroRNA-155 is a potential predictive tool for atopic dermatitis severity in children: A preliminary study
Lobna A El-Korashi1, Ola E Nafea2, Alaa E Nafea3
1Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig, University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Abstract:
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory dermatological disorders in childhood. Assessment of AD severity is the initial step in designing the proper therapeutic plan. Moreover, it is imperative for evaluation of disease improvement during and following therapy. This study was designed to assess the prognostic role of miRNA-155 (miR-155) in the prediction of AD severity as the primary outcome. While the secondary outcome was to correlate the serum miR-155 expression levels with the scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) severity index. This case-control study included 24 children with AD and 24 apparently healthy children as a control group. AD children were stratified according to the SCORAD severity index. Approximately 58% of children had mild AD, 25% moderate AD, and about 17% severe AD. Children with AD had statistically significantly higher miR-155 expression levels in comparison to the control children, (p < 0.001). Children with severe AD had statistically significantly higher miR-155 expression levels compared to mild AD children (p=0.001). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for miR-155 demonstrated that miR-155 can differentiate between children with mild AD and those with moderate-to-severe AD, with an area under the curve of 0.879, and an excellent discrimination power. A statistically strong significant positive correlation existed between miR-155 levels and SCORAD severity index (rs= 0.666, p < 0.001). In conclusion, MiR-155 could be considered as a non-invasive biomarker of AD severity in children. It is a promising prognostic tool in the prediction of AD severity.
Insights
MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) levels are significantly higher in children with atopic dermatitis (AD). Elevated miR-155 expression correlates with increased AD severity, suggesting its potential as a prognostic biomarker.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Molecular Biology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin condition in children.
- Accurate assessment of AD severity is crucial for effective treatment planning and monitoring.
- Identifying reliable biomarkers for AD severity prediction is an ongoing research area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prognostic role of microRNA-155 (miR-155) in predicting atopic dermatitis severity in children.
- To correlate serum miR-155 expression levels with the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 24 children with AD and 24 healthy controls.
- Stratification of AD patients into mild, moderate, and severe groups based on the SCORAD index.
- Measurement of serum miR-155 expression levels and statistical analysis, including ROC curve analysis.
Main Results:
- Children with AD exhibited significantly higher serum miR-155 levels compared to controls (p < 0.001).
- Severe AD cases showed significantly higher miR-155 levels than mild AD cases (p=0.001).
- miR-155 demonstrated excellent discrimination power (AUC=0.879) in differentiating mild from moderate-to-severe AD and showed a strong positive correlation with the SCORAD index (rs=0.666, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Serum miR-155 is a potential non-invasive biomarker for assessing atopic dermatitis severity in children.
- miR-155 shows promise as a prognostic tool for predicting AD severity in pediatric populations.
