Role of miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b in Helicobacter pylori.

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori infection is a common gastrointestinal pathogen associated with gastritis and peptic ulcers. The early detection of H. pylori-related gastritis is crucial to its effective management, especially in pediatric patients with dyspepsia.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b as potential indicators of H. pylori-associated gastritis in children.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 70 H. pylori-positive children and 50 H. pylori-negative controls aged ≤18 years with recurrent abdominal pain who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b expression levels in gastric biopsies were determined using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

H. pylori-positive children had significantly higher levels of miRNA-146a than H. pylori-negative children across all endoscopic findings (range, 2.2-2.7 vs. 1.07-1.2; P<0.001) and histologic grades of gastritis (range, 2.0-2.4 vs. 1.2-1.3; P<0.001). Conversely, the H. pylori-positive group showed consistently lower miRNA-125b levels across all parameters (range, 0.3-0.8 vs. 0.4-0.9; P<0.001). Both miRNAs differentiated H. pylori status with an area under the curve of >0.95.

CONCLUSION

The altered expression of miRNA-146a and miRNA-125b in gastric biopsies of H. pylori-positive children suggests their potential role as molecular markers of H. pylori-associated gastritis.