The Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology for Postgraduate Studies / University of Baghdad discussed the master’s thesis of the student Hind Ibrahim Khudair, entitled: “The Association Between Proteus mirabilis Infection and Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms (FokI, ApaI) in Complications of Kidney Failure”, supervised by Assistant Professor Dr. Zainab Hikmat Aboud.
This study aimed to explore the possible association between VDR gene polymorphisms — SNP1 (rs731236 C>A), SNP2 (rs7975232 G>T), and SNP3 (rs11574005 G>A) — along with VDR (RFD) and kidney failure disease, as well as the relationship between P. mirabilis urinary tract infection and the development of kidney failure.
The demographic study showed that among the 48 patients included in the current research, the age group (50–60 years) accounted for 35.4% of kidney failure cases. Females were found to be more affected than males, with infection rates of 58.1% in females compared to 43.4% in males.
Renal function test results (urea, creatinine, calcium, sodium, protein, albumin, and vitamin D) indicated a significant increase in blood urea levels (149 mg/dL) in kidney failure patients compared to healthy individuals (31 mg/dL), with a highly significant difference (p = 0.001).
The study concluded that PCR results confirmed the presence of the genes (hpmA, pmfA, luxS, and mrpA) in all isolates (100%). Total RNA of Proteus mirabilis was extracted using the Trizol purification kit and converted into cDNA, which was subsequently amplified to investigate the genetic expression of (hpmA, pmfA, luxS, and mrpA). This was performed using real-time PCR both before and after treatment with coumarin.
