Role of miR-146a rs2910164 and UTS2 rs228648 Genetic Variants in Behcet's Disease

Background: Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease. Clinical studies revealed that both microRNAs and urotensin II (UTS2) play a significant role in the development of autoinflammatory diseases. Purpose: The study aimed to determine the association between miR-146a rs2910164 and UTS2 rs228648 genetic variants and BD susceptibility. In addition, the relationship between these gene variants and clinical and laboratory outcomes among Egyptian patients was investigated. Methods: The distributions of miR-146a rs2910164 and UTS2 rs228648 (p.Thr21Met) variants were analyzed in 94 patients with BD and 115 healthy control subjects using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and Taqman Real-time PCR techniques. Results: Frequencies of the G/G genotype and G allele of miR-146a rs2910164 variant were significantly higher in patients with BD compared with normal controls (p = .042, OR = 2.31; p = .022, OR = 1.58, respectively). The frequencies of the Thr/Thr genotype and the Thr allele of UTS2 rs228648 variant were significantly higher in subjects with BD compared with normal controls (p = .028, OR = 3.35; p = .032, OR = 1.60, respectively). Conclusion: Our results suggest that miR-146a rs2910164 and UTS2 rs228648 variants have significant roles in both the development and clinical modulation of BD in Egyptian patients.