Moderator of 2 Sessions
Presenter of 3 Presentations
WHAT ARE THE FUTURE TRAJECTORIES IN PGHAN RESEARCH AND HOW CAN ESPGHAN SUPPORT YOUNGER MEMBERS IN CONDUCTING HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH? (ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION) (ID 1697)
BRIEF INTRODUCTION ON THE REASONS BEHIND THE SYMPOSIUM I.E. THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF RESEARCH IN PGHAN AND ACROSS ESPGHAN (ID 1691)
G-O027 - ROLE OF MIRNA-21 AND MIRNA-223 IN CHILDREN WITH EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS (ID 1008)
Abstract
Objectives and Study
Upper endoscopy with multiple biopsies is required for diagnosis and surveillance of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) to identify the maximal density of eosinophils. This procedure is invasive, time consuming, and expensive. There is a need for reliable non-invasive or minimally invasive biomarkers to avoid the significant burden on affected patients and the healthcare system. Recent studies have demonstrated the critical role of microRNA (miR) alterations in the development of chronic inflammatory processes as EoE. The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of miR21 and miR-223 in children with EoE.
Methods
We enrolled 10 children with EoE. Samples of plasma and esophagus from EoE patients were collected at diagnosis (T0), and after 8 weeks of therapy with PPI or topical corticosteroid (T1) and compared with respective control samples. After miRNAs extraction, the level of miR-21 and miR-223 and their relevant target genes were analysed by real time PCR.
Results
Serum and esophageal expression of miR-21 and miR-223 resulted significantly higher in patients with EoE than in CTR at T0 (p<0.005). The upregulation in plasma mirrors what happens in tissue but is easier to follow. MiR-21 and miR-223 trends decline when patients are in remission. Indeed, we found a significant reduction of serum miR-21 and miR-223 at T1. By bioinformatic analysis we identified target genes of our miRNAs and the most significant pathways in which these genes are involved. We found relevant pathways such as Foxo, TGFb and AGE-RAGE signalling pathways and abnormal levels of relevant target genes, such as PTEN, AKT, TGFb1 and STAT3, involved in inflammatory processes, which can be affected by increased level of miR-21 and miR-223.
Conclusions
Our preliminary results suggest that the miR-21 and miR-223 expressions could be useful as markers of esophageal inflammation at diagnosis and during follow up in EoE children.