Epigenetic Mechanisms of Genes Influencing Immune Response in Patients with Celiac Disease

Aim: The goal of this study was to investigate the expression levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) (miR-196b, miR-10a, miR-31-5p, and miR-338-3p) which regulate the genes involved in the proliferation and function of cells functioning in the inflammatory processes in Celiac patients' blood and tissue samples. Celiac disease (CD) is an inflammatory disease which affects people who are genetically predisposed to gluten consumption. The only treatment for this disease is a gluten-free diet. Materials and Methods: The miRNA expressions were determined in blood and tissue samples from 12 pediatric patients with CD and from 8 healthy children using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and SybrGreen dye. The gene expression levels of miRNAs such as miR-196b, miR-10a, miR-338-3p, and miR-31-5p were compared between the two groups. Results: There was a significant difference only in miR-10a gene expression levels between the control and patient blood samples. The greatest difference between the tissue and blood samples within the CD group were found in the expressions of miR-31-5p and miR-338-3p. It was seen that the patients’ human leukocyte antigen tissue type was not associated with their miRNA expression profiles. In addition, there was no significant correlation between their Marsh classification and gene expression levels. Conclusion: The significantly low level of miR-10a may be related to CD due to its effect on the immune response. Additionally, miR-10a may have potential as a non-invasive biomarker in the diagnosis of CD