title: The role of microRNA-31 and microRNA-21 as regulatory biomarkers in the activation of T lymphocytes of Egyptian lupus patients.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by familial aggregation and genetic predisposition. MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) serve as critical biomarkers in lupus patients because of their aberrant expression in different SLE stages. The study aimed to investigate the correlation of miR-31 and miR-21 with IL-2 in SLE patients as regulatory biomarkers in the activation of T lymphocytes of Egyptian lupus patients. Quantitative RT-PCR is carried out to estimate the expressions of miR-31 and miR-21, and IL-2 levels were determined using ELISA in plasma of 40 patients with SLE, 20 of their first-degree relatives and 20 healthy controls. The study also determined the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) score and proteinuria in SLE patients. The results revealed that miR-31 was lower expressed, while miR-21 was high expressed in SLE patients compared to their first-degree relatives and controls. MiR-31 was negatively correlated with SLEDAI and proteinuria in lupus patients, while miR-21 showed positive correlation with them. Also we found that there is a significant positive correlation between miR-31 and IL-2 in SLE patients, while miR-21 was negatively correlated with IL-2 level in patients. In conclusion, the study disclosed a significant association between miR-31 and miR-21 expression with IL-2 level in SLE patients. The regulatory biomarkers of miR-31 and miR-21 might have an impact on regulating IL-2 pathway expression and in turn on the activation of T lymphocytes in SLE.
authors: Head of Medical Molecular Genetics Department, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt. khalda_nrc@yahoo.com.|Head of Medical Molecular Genetics Department, National Research Centre, El Buhouth St., Cairo, 12622, Dokki, Egypt. khalda_nrc@yahoo.com.
authors: Khalda Sayed
authors: KS
authors: Amr
authors: Immunogenetics Department, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.|Head of Microbiology and Immunology Department, MSA University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Faten S
authors: FS
authors: Bayoumi
authors: Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Fatema T
authors: FT
authors: Elgengehy
authors: Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
authors: Sanaa O
authors: SO
authors: Abdallah
authors: Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Hanan H
authors: HH
authors: Ahmed
authors: Immunogenetics Department, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Eman
authors: E
authors: Eissa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007376:Interleukin-2; C524940:MIRN21 microRNA, human; C534612:MIRN31 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: IL-2; MiR-21; MiR-31; SLE