Abstract
Introduction: Rhinitis and bronchial asthma are both manifestations of an inflammatory process within a continuous airway system. The upper and lower airways may be considered as a unique entity influenced by a common and often evolving inflammation process.
Aims and objectives: We aimed to study if microRNA (miRNA) and nasal nitric oxide (nNO) levels differentiate in asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR) and non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) patients.
Methods: A 12-years follow-up survey on factors for asthma and atopic diseases was conducted with 6041 subjects aged 30-38 years in year 2007. From them 180 responders were selected to participate in the clinical study, when nNO and nasal biopsies were taken. Based on the survey and clinical data the participants were classified to healthy controls (n=40), AR (n=51), AR combined with asthma (AR+asthma n=37) and NAR (n=42) patients. The levels of 27 inflammatory miRNAs were determined from nasal biopsies.
Results: No significant changes in the levels of 24 miRNAs were observed between groups. However, expression of mir-146a was significantly elevated in AR and AR+asthma groups compared to controls. In addition, the levels of mir-126 were significantly up-regulated in AR+asthma group compared to controls. Similarly, mir-18a levels were increased in AR+asthma group compared to controls and NAR group. Finally, nNo levels were significantly increased in AR and AR+asthma group compared to control or NAR group.
Conclusions: These preliminary findings emphasizes that some differences in the miRNA levels can be found from the upper airways between these patient groups. Further studies are needed to deeper examine the molecular mechanisms and to establish new markers for the diseases.
- © 2011 ERS
