Differential Gene Expression Profiles in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients from Kurdistan, Iraq

Objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease, generally comprising Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), has become a significant global public health concern in the last decade. The present study aimed to determine the alterations of the whole genomic expression profile among patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This study was conducted to provide the expression profile of IBD patients for the first time in this geographic location, as there are very few articles in the literature addressing this specific aspect. Methods: A study conducted in Erbil province, Kurdistan region of Iraq, from July 2021 to July 2022 compared the genome expression profiles of 10 patients with inflammatory bowel diseases to their matched controls. The sequences used in the design of this array were selected from GenBank®, dbEST, and RefSeq, Whole blood RNA extracted and hybridization on GeneChip® human genome U133A 2.0. The Scanner 3000 was used for the scanning high-resolution image and operating software (GCOS) was used for reading the results. Results: Shared upregulated genes between ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) were (RIT2, BCL2L1, MDM2, and FKBP8) while shared downregulated genes were (NFKBIB, DDX24, and RASA3). Conclusions: Upregulated and downregulated gene expression patterns are detected in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease, offering diagnostic potential and opportunities for treatment by targeting the associated pathways. Keywords:  Crohn’s disease, Expression, Erbil, Gene, Ulcerative colitis.