Haplotype-based Analysis of 6q24-25 for Association with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multisystem inflammatory disorder. Family history of RA is an important risk factor as it is strongly linked with the inherited HLA-DR4 (most specifically DR0401 and 0404). The aim of this study is to conduct the haplotype-based analysis of 6q24-25 and evaluate its association with RA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Case-control study which included all patients attending outpatient department (OPD) at Sardar Patel Medical College, Bikaner, Rajasthan and volunteers (only for blood samples). Blood samples of patients were collected. As per inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 103 subjects lacking history of disease were included under control group, while 48 cases were recruited as study group. Any significant departure of genotype distribution is evaluated using Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium by Chi-squared test. RESULTS: Case-control association was done using data from 151 genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples, which were allele typed. RA is significantly associated with >305bp (the longer allele of D6S1053 corresponding to 11 tetramer (GATA) repeats. Differences in individual allele frequency within the control population and RA cases were observed which shows the bimodal distribution of the 10 alleles of D6S1053 short tandem repeat (STR) marker observed in the cohort tested by us. No significant association with the risk for RA is shown by the allele for D6S1053 and the mutant allele 118G. Similarly, OPRM1 gene's haplotype frequency for rs1799972 for D6S1053 allele has not shown any added risk with the wild allele 17C compared to controls. The polymorphism showed that 17T depicted a higher odds ratio of 1.3 with an associated risk of 1.15 in the presence of longer allele of DS61053. Significance observed between short allele and RA was lost when haplotype analysis for the two genes were taken together. There was no difference observed between the short or long allele and 17T/C while there was a significant difference observed when haplotype frequencies were compared with alleles of A118G and the long and short allele of DS61053. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the short allele of µ-opioid receptor (MOR) gene offered a clear protection from a risk of getting RA.

Role of miRNA Let-7 in Plasma of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objectives: Micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs, recently implicated as potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study is to assess the role of miRNA Let-7 in the plasma of RA. Materials and methods: Trained medical staff already enrolled for the study collected blood samples from healthy controls (N = 42) and RA patients (N = 44). In the laboratory, these samples were centrifuged at 2000 rpm for 8 minutes to separate serum from the sample, which was then transferred to a plain vial. Until transport to the genetic lab, samples were stored at -20°C Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was isolated using a standard protocol cohort of controls and patient blood samples. Quantification of DNA was conducted using ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, and DNA quality was assessed on 0.8% agarose gel. A comparison of genotype frequencies in the different study groups was performed using the Chi-squared test, while a comparison of allelic frequencies was conducted using Fisher's exact test. Results: Variations of alleles, such as 16539423 (G>T), 16539433 (T>G), and 16539629 (A>T) were found only in RA patients. On the other hand, 16539617 (T>A), 16539622 (G>T), and 16539624 (T>C) were found only in control cases. Five sequences (three RA variants and two control variants) with minimal alignment were compared to the wild-type sequence. We found that the sequence modification of pre-miRNA 16539623 del G was significantly higher and had a risk allele in the study group [odds ratio (OR) = 3.29]. Conclusion: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that presents with a variety of clinical manifestations. Genetic factors possibly account for about 60% of disease susceptibility and expression, thus playing a very important role in disease pathogenesis. How to cite this article: Gauri LA, Liyakat N, Dadhich D, et al. Role of miRNA Let-7 in Plasma of Rheumatoid Arthritis. J Assoc Physicians India 2023;71(11):50-52.

Study of Association of Chromosomal Region 1Q21-23 with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Their Correlation with Severity of Disease.

BACKGROUND: The understanding of the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has taken a major step forward with the research of new illness-related genes and further deciphering the involved molecular. Gene variants like human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 and PTPN22 1858T act as individual risk factors for RA. It also serves as a risk factor for the rate of progression of joint destruction and clinical manifestations in autoimmune diseases like RA. The focus of this study is to find out the association of chromosomal region 1q21-23 with RA and its connection with disease severity using the disease activity score (DAS) and distribution frequency of the prevalent alleles of such genes in an already recruited group of patients/controls of India, specifically Northwest Rajasthan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a case-control study wherein every patient of RA aged 16 years and above diagnosed with RA as per the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) revised criteria for RA in Outpatient Department (OPD) and Inpatient Department (IPD) patients were included. Blood samples of the study population were drawn at Sardar Patel Medical College (SPMC), Bikaner (rheumatology OPD), along with the cooperation of Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Hyderabad (Department of Biological Sciences) from July 2009 to January 2012. A total of 100 controls (without any previous history of disease) and 135 cases were selected considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. Clinical data along with laboratory parameters like complete blood count, serum electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, and chlorine ions), blood sugar, blood urea with serum creatinine, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzymes assay, serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT)/serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) ratio, serum γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level, serum amylase, arterial blood gas (ABG), total serum proteins were evaluated and recorded from the patients. RESULTS: Our study showed control group has a mean age of 45.11 + 4.12 years. The case and control groups did not have significant differences in any of the clinical variables. 59% of cases show joint deformity. Allelic frequencies of the D1S498 polymorphism in cases were found significant in sizes 198, 204, 208, and 210, while it was found insignificant in sizes 192, 196, 200, 202, and 206. No correlation was found in allelic frequencies of the D1S318 polymorphism in cases and controls. CONCLUSION: Bigger cohort studies will allow better genomic elucidation of clinically defined intermediate phenotypes evaluated in RA patients by virtue of the autoimmune origin of the disease and its diverse symptoms in patients. Genetic-molecular studies can be a milestone for adopting effective personalized treatment for such progressively debilitating diseases. How to cite this article: Gauri LA, Meena MK, Singh U, et al. Study of Association of Chromosomal Region 1Q21-23 with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Their Correlation with Severity of Disease. J Assoc Physicians India 2023;71(9):28-32.