Plasma microRNA profiling of children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

CONTEXT: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the most common cardiomyopathy in children. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small RNAs which have regulatory functions in many biological processes. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine miRNA expression levels in plasma of children with DCM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plasma expression levels of 379 miRNAs were compared between 23 DCM and 26 healthy children. RESULTS: The expression levels of miR-618, miR-875-3p, miR-205, miR-194, miR-302a, miR-147, and miR-544 were found decreased. The expression levels of miR-518f and miR-454 were found increased in DCM patients. DISCUSSION: miRNA level differences may provide the chance of using these miRNAs as new biomarkers.

Prevalence and clinical significance of antithyroid antibodies in children with immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and the clinical significance of thyroid autoantibodies and their influence on treatment response in children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). PATIENT AND METHOD: We retrospectively analyzed the antithyroglobulin (anti-TG) and antithyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibodies from the records of 151 ITP patients who were admitted to the Pediatric Hematology Department of Gaziantep University between 2009 and 2012. RESULTS: Anti-TPO and/or anti-TG was found positive in 38 (36.8%) of 103 patients whose thyroid autoantibody levels were measured. The comparison of positivity ratios of autoantibodies between acute and chronic ITP patients showed no significant difference. However, the separate comparison of each group of ITP patients with control group showed significantly high positivity ratios of autoantibodies in ITP patients. The initial mean platelet count of anti-TPO positive patients at diagnosis was significantly less than that of the negative patients (P = .008). One month after treatment, platelet count of anti-TPO positive patients was significantly less than that of the negative patients (P = .01). Moreover, the mean platelet counts of anti-TPO positive patients were significantly less than those of the negative patients after intravenous immunoglobulin treatment (P < .001). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that the thyroid-autoimmune-diseases-related autoantibodies are frequently found in childhood ITP. Although no recommendation is found in international guidelines regarding screening for thyroid autoantibodies in patients with ITP, in view of the high incidence of antithyroid antibodies and their potential negative effect on treatment response, screening these patients for such antibodies would be recommended.

ACE gene polymorphism in premature neonates with respiratory distress syndrome.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in premature neonates. The patient group consisted of 101 premature neonates born before 37 weeks of gestation and diagnosed as RDS. The control group consisted of 100 premature neonates born before 37 weeks of gestation, but was not diagnosed as RDS. Genomic DNA from patients and controls was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. D/D genotype was significantly higher in patient group (60.4% patients vs. 37.0% controls, p<0.05), whereas in the controls I/D genotype was markedly higher (33.7% patients vs. 61.0% controls, p<0.05). However, no marked change was observed with I/I genotype (5.9% patients vs. 2.0% controls). A significant increase of D alleles was observed in patients, whereas I allele was higher in controls (p<0.05). These results demonstrated the existence of higher frequency of the D/D genotype and D allele in premature neonates with RDS. These data may suggest that carriers of the D/D genotype and D allele are at increased risk of RDS development in premature neonates.

mRNA expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and neuronal nitric oxide synthase genes in meningitis patients.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses with various clinical symptoms. Although meningitis is not so prevalent, it remains the most serious contagious disease. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of gene expressions of nitric oxide synthases (NOS) on meningitis patients. Using samples taken from 61 meningitis patients, inducible NOS, endothelial NOS (eNOS), and neuronal NOS mRNA levels were assessed in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). A control group was constructed of 64 healthy persons. The gene expression analysis was made using real-time polymerase chain reaction method. There was no neuronal NOS expression in either group, whereas inducible NOS expression was detected in 40 blood samples and 12 CSF samples from meningitis patients. However, there were no marked differences between groups (p=0.5104). eNOS expression was detected in all blood and CSF samples, which was markedly higher in patients (p=0.0367). Because the increase in eNOS expression increases NO production, eNOS expression in meningitis patients is of great importance. This increase of eNOS in meningitis patients compared with healthy subjects may lead to novel treatments for reducing the severity of the disease.

Gene expression and promoter region polymorphisms of interleukin-10 in meningitis patients.

Meningitis is an inflammatory disease caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses with various clinical symptoms. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels have been shown to be increased in blood or cerebrospinal fluid of patients with meningitis, but the association of IL-10 gene promoter polymorphisms or gene expression with meningitis has not been evaluated. IL-10 gene promoter polymorphisms A-592C, T-819C, and A-1082G in 61 patients with meningitis and 64 healthy controls were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. mRNA from blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples was extracted, and real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed for IL-10 gene expression. No statistically significant differences were found in the allele and genotypic frequencies between patients and control subjects. Expression of IL-10 in meningitis at mRNA levels was detected in the infiltrating leukocytes. IL-10 gene expression in blood from patients was significantly higher than the control group. Our results suggest that there was no association between promoter polymorphisms of IL-10 and meningitis, but a significant increase of IL-10 gene expression was present in patients with meningitis.