Critical Roles of MicroRNAs Let-7b in Diagnosing and Modulating Immune Responses in the Serum of Iraqi Patients with Cystic Echinococcosis
Nisreen Shaker Mahmoud, Ekhlas M. Idan, Muhanned K. AliAbstract
Background:
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a neglected tropical disease; it is considered a significant public health. CE is difficult to detect in people due to its long incubation period. It is mostly diagnosed clinically, imaging, and immunologically. However, there were numerous problems that interfered with the diagnostic mechanism, so that an alternative method was required in order to enhance the identification and treatment of postoperative illnesses.
Objective:
The study evaluated the potential utility of microRNA (miRNA) let-7b as a biomarker for the detection of CE, as well as to establish the association between gene expression of miRNA let-7 and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels in individuals diagnosed with CE and the immunomodulatory function of miRNA let-7b.
Materials and Methods:
The study included 50 CE patients who were admitted to the hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, for CE removal surgery and 50 healthy controls. The serum was collected from September 2022 to June 2023.
Results:
The patients diagnosed with CE had a statistically significant increase in the fold expression of miRNA let-7b compared to the individuals in the control group (2.64 ± 0.54 and 1.00 ± 0.28, respectively). Serum IL-10 levels were significantly different between the control and patients (368.26 ± 19.68 and 248.78 ± 13.83 ng/L, respectively). According to the results; it has been observed the miRNA let-7b exhibits an upregulation in the sera of individuals affected by CE.
Conclusion:
This upregulation could lead to the discovery of new biomarkers that can be used to diagnose CE. Furthermore, a negative correlation has been established between miRNA let-7b levels and the presence of IL-10. This phenomenon has the potential to disrupt the immune system’s inflammatory response and hence play a role in the development of CE.