Evaluation of the Rock1 and microRNA-148a expression in biopsies collected from patients with Helicobacter pylori induced gastritis.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common chronic bacterial infections, especially in developing countries. MicroRNA-148a is involved in the regulation of various genes, including Rock1, which is altered in gastric cancer. Decreased expression of mir-148a leads to tumor metastasis and increased Rock1 gene expression in gastric cancer. This study aimed to investigate the expression of these genes in biopsies collected from patients with H. pylori induced gastritis.

Methods: Informed consent forms were gotten from the studied patients with gastritis who needed endoscopy. Gastric biopsies were taken by a gastroenterologist from patients with inflammation. Rapid urease test, stool antigen detection, and histopathological staining were used to determine the H. pylori infected patients. Real time PCR was used to evaluate the miRNA and Rock1 expression levels.

Results: The Rock1 expression level in biopsies that were positive for H. pylori was significantly increased compared to our control gastritis group that were H. pylori-negative, but the results were not statistically significant. Moreover, the mir-148a expression level in H. pylori-positive patients with gastritis was increased compared to our control group. However, the results were not statistically significant. We did not find a significant relation between the expression levels of Rock1 and mir-148a in samples with gastritis infected or uninfected by H. pylori. This result may be due to the small sample size.

Conclusion: We suggest that this test should be carried out with more samples, and the comparison should be done between biopsies with inflammation and no inflammation in a patient.