ABSTRACT
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated as regulatory molecules that could play a considerable role in the pathogenesis of different diseases including asthma. This work aims at exploring the role of miR-146a and miR- 106b in the pathogenesis of asthma and their association with asthma severity, IgE, and inflammatory cytokines in asthmatic children. Thirty asthmatic children and twenty age-matched healthy children aged 4-17 years old were enrolled. Expression of plasma miR-146a and miR-106b was measured using quantitative real-time PCR. Plasma levels of interleukin-5 (IL-5) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) were assessed using ELISA. Lung functions were measured by Spirometry. MiR-146a and miR-106b were significantly over-expressed in asthmatic children compared to healthy children. A significant positive correlation between total IgE and both miR-146a and miR-106b was found while no significant correlation could be detected between these miRNAs and asthma severity in asthmatic children. Plasma levels of IL-5 and IL-13 were non-significantly higher in asthmatic children compared to healthy children, and there was no significant correlation between them and both miR-146a and miR-106b expressions in the asthmatic children. The aberrant expression of immune-related miRNAs (miR-146a and miR-106b) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-5 and IL-13) among asthmatic children suggest their probable role in asthma pathogenesis.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The authors aimed to explore the relationship between the expression/polymorphisms of TLR-9 and susceptibility to colon cancer development in the Saudi Arabian population. METHODS: In total, blood samples from 115 patients with colon cancer and 102 participants without colon cancer were analyzed in this study. Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected from the TLR-9 gene, including two sites within the TLR-9 gene's promoter region (rs352144 and rs187084) and one site in a TLR-9 intron region (rs5743839). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed from logistic regression models after adjusting for age, gender, and tumor localization. To investigate the differential expression of TLR-9 in colon cancer, TLR-9 expression was evaluated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction on 40 matched normal and colon tissues. RESULTS: The authors found that TLR-9 expression was decreased in colon cancer tissues as compared with that in normal tissues. Moreover, significant associations between the TLR-9 rs187084 SNP and colon cancer risk were observed in female patients only. In rs187084, the T allele had a significantly lower frequency (2.8 times) in female cancer patients than in controls (0.27 vs 0.41). The TLR-9 rs352139 and rs352144 SNPs were significantly associated with colon cancer development when the tumor was located in the rectal area. CONCLUSION: The findings support the hypothesis that TLR-9 has an anticancer role in colon cancer development. Furthermore, genetic variation may influence colon cancer development, and SNPs in TLR-9 could serve as biomarkers for decision making in the treatment of females with rectal cancer.
ABSTRACT
An efficient, sensitive, and simple method was developed for the simultaneous determination of rosiglitazone and metformin hydrochloride in a combination tablet dosage form by column high-performance liquid chromatography. The mobile phase used was ammonium dihydrogen phosphate adjusted to pH 5.25 with sodium hydroxide. The limits of detection and quantitation were in the range of 0.5-1.6 microg/mL, respectively, for metformin hydrochloride, and 0.00201-0.0067 microg/mL, respectively, for rosiglitazone. The linearity was studied in the concentration range of 0.12-0.31 microg/mL for rosiglitazone and 30.6-76.7 microg/mL for metformin hydrochloride. The recovered amounts of metformin hydrochloride and rosiglitazone were 100-103.8 and 101-103.7%, respectively.
