Investigating correlation between microRNA-146a gene expression and TNF-α levels among rheumatoid arthritis patients in Babylon province.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive autoimmune disorder driven by immune cell and cytokine interactions. This case-control study investigated microRNA-146a (miRNA-146a) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) as prognostic markers in RA patients. Fifty RA patients from Marjan Hospital (Babylon) and 50 controls were enrolled. Serum TNF-α was measured by ELISA, and miRNA-146a expression was assessed by RT-qPCR. TNF-α levels were significantly elevated in RA patients compared to controls (p<0.0001), with the highest levels in stage IV RA. miRNA-146a expression was also significantly upregulated in RA patients (p<0.0001). A positive correlation was observed between miRNA-146a expression and TNF-α levels (r=0.374, p=0.008). These findings suggest TNF-α as a central mediator of RA inflammation and miRNA-146a as a potential biomarker of disease progression and therapeutic target.