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Role of miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b in Helicobacter pylori
Nashwa Mohamed1, Ola Behairy1, Manal El-Defrawy1
1Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Al-Qalyubia, Egypt.
Insights
Pediatric Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) gastritis can be detected using specific microRNAs (miRNAs). This study found altered levels of miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b in children with H. pylori infection, suggesting their use as diagnostic markers.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Molecular Biology
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a common cause of gastritis and peptic ulcers.
- Early detection of H. pylori-related gastritis is vital for management, particularly in children with dyspepsia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b as potential biomarkers for H. pylori-associated gastritis in pediatric patients.
- To investigate the diagnostic utility of these miRNAs in children with recurrent abdominal pain.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 70 H. pylori-positive children and 50 H. pylori-negative controls (age ≤ 18 years) with recurrent abdominal pain.
- Gastric biopsies were analyzed for miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b expression using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).
Main Results:
- H. pylori-positive children exhibited significantly higher miRNA-146a levels (p<0.001) and lower miRNA-125b levels (p<0.001) compared to controls.
- Both miRNAs demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy (Area Under Curve >0.95) in distinguishing H. pylori status.
- Expression levels of both miRNAs correlated with endoscopic and histologic findings of gastritis.
Conclusions:
- Altered expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b in gastric biopsies suggests their potential as molecular markers for H. pylori-associated gastritis in children.
- These miRNAs may aid in the early diagnosis and management of H. pylori infection in pediatric populations.
Background:
Helicobacter pylori infection is a common gastrointestinal pathogen associated with gastritis and peptic ulcers. The early detection of H. pylori-related gastritis is crucial to its effective management, especially in pediatric patients with dyspepsia.
Purpose:
This study aimed to assess the expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b as potential indicators of H. pylori-associated gastritis in children.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 70 H. pylori-positive children and 50 H. pylori-negative controls aged ≤18 years with recurrent abdominal pain who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b expression levels in gastric biopsies were determined using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.
Results:
H. pylori-positive children had significantly higher levels of miRNA-146a than H. pylori-negative children across all endoscopic findings (range, 2.2-2.7 vs. 1.07-1.2; P<0.001) and histologic grades of gastritis (range, 2.0-2.4 vs. 1.2-1.3; P<0.001). Conversely, the H. pylori-positive group showed consistently lower miRNA-125b levels across all parameters (range, 0.3-0.8 vs. 0.4-0.9; P<0.001). Both miRNAs differentiated H. pylori status with an area under the curve of >0.95.
Conclusion:
The altered expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b in gastric biopsies of H. pylori-positive children suggests their potential role as molecular markers of H. pylori-associated gastritis.
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