ESTIMATION THE LEVEL OF MIRNA23A IN PATIENTS WITH COMPLICATED AND NON-COMPLICATED URINARY TRACT INFECTION

Abstract

Objective:  miRNAs, a small non-coding (20-25 nucleotide) RNA molecule, play a crucial role in controlling the host's defense mechanisms where their expression regulates the actions of the cells that protect the host from disease or inflammatory situations. It may serve as a significant biomarker for infectious diseases and is essential in the diagnosis of many other diseases. So that, this research aims to investigate the role of miRNA23a in progression of urinary tract infection.

Methods: A case-control study involved 116 patients with UTI and 36 healthy individuals. Urine specimens have been collected for direct culturing of K. pneumoniae, while blood specimens were collected for direct extraction of RNA. Vitek 2 compact system was used to confirm identification of K. pneumoniae and RT qPCR technique was followed up for detection the level of miRNA23a gene expression among patients and healthy group.

Results: out of 116 urine specimens only 13 isolates K. pneumoniae were detected according to the cultural properties while confirmed identification of K, pneumoniae by vitek 2 compact systems revealed only 7(6%) isolates were belonged to K. pneumoiae.  The results of RT qPCR showed that the Ct value of miRNA23a in UTI patient range between  30.1-39.04 compared with healthy group (27.07-38.39) where an increase in the level of gene expression among UTI patients in comparison with healthy group (fold change for patients and healthy 13.01128 and 1 respectively). The fold change of miRNA in complicated UTI patients was 1.625879 compared with non-complicated UTI which was 7.074609178 which revealed to down regulation of miRNA in complicated UTI patients. 

Conclusion: A correlation has been found between the level of miRNA23a gene expression and UTI in patients infected with K. pneumoniae.