| خلاصه مقاله | Abstract
Background: The involvement of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in various physiological and pathological conditions is increasingly evident. However, their intricate roles in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pathogenesis remain relatively unknown. This study evaluated the expression profile of two specific lncRNAs, HOTAIR, and AC007278.3, alongside their corresponding protein-coding genes, TNF-α, and IL18RAP, in SLE patients. Their potential value as diagnostic biomarkers for pathogenic conditions have also been assessed.
Methods: RNA samples were obtained from SLE patients (n=30) and age-sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) (n=60) referred to the Connective Tissue Disease Research Center at Tabriz University of Medical Science. Subsequently, cDNA was synthesized to assess the expression levels of the target genes using real-time PCR. The diagnostic potential of lncRNAs as biomarkers for SLE was quantified by calculating the Area Under the Curve of the Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUC of ROC).
Results: The expression levels of HOTAIR, AC007278.3, and TNF-α were significantly elevated in SLE patients (p-value <0.0001) compared to HCs, whereas IL18RAP expression levels showed a distinctive reduction (p-value <0.0001). A negative correlation was observed between IL18RAP and AC007278.3 (R= -0.64, p-value <0.0001). Furthermore, the AUC of ROC analyses highlighted the diagnostic efficacy of IL18RAP, AC007278.3, HOTAIR, and TNF-α, yielding values of 0.9, 0.89, 0.87, and 0.78, respectively.
Conclusion: These findings elucidated the potential of lncRNAs AC007278.3 and HOTAIR, together with TNF-α, as promising diagnostic markers for SLE, providing valuable insights into the disease's pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms. |