The Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology for Postgraduate Studies at the University of Baghdad discussed the master’s thesis of student Hussein Hadi Hammoud, titled: “Association of Genotypes, miRNA-146-5p Gene Expression, and Serum Levels of Certain Immune Parameters in Asthma Patients”, under the supervision of Asst. Prof. Dr. Hamsa Ahmed Jasim, and chaired by the Dean of the Institute, Prof. Dr. Salwa Jaber Al-Awadi.
The study aimed to measure the serum levels of total IgE, specific IgE, CXCL10, CXCL11, and IRAK1, in addition to performing a complete blood count (CBC) on blood samples taken from Iraqi asthma patients using ELISA and an automated hematology analyzer.
The research also aimed to determine the gene expression levels of miRNA-146a in Iraqi asthma patients using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and to analyze the genetic polymorphism of miRNA-146a (rs2910164) using Sanger DNA sequencing technology.
Based on the findings, the study recommended conducting further research to verify the impact of the genetic polymorphism (rs2910164) and other variants on asthma in Iraqi patients.
It also emphasized the need for more epidemiological, molecular, and immunological studies on asthma patients.
Furthermore, the study highlighted the importance of increasing the sample size for both patient and control groups to enhance the sensitivity and specificity of each asthma-related test.
Finally, it recommended exploring additional genetic regulators from the microRNA family, as well as inflammatory genes, to identify potential therapeutic targets for asthma treatment.
