STUDYING THE REGULATORY ROLE OF NON-CODING RNAS AS NOVEL DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC TARGETS IN PULMONARY DISEASES. (RSPB2.7)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives: Investigation of the pulmonary protective effect of miRNA inhibitor against LPS-induced Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the predictable serious complication of COVID19 by targeting ACE2/ Angiotensin pathway. Materials and methods: BALB/c Male mice were randomized into 3 groups (n= 6 mice/group); the first group is the normal control group who received normal saline, the second group is the induction group who got injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) intraperitoneally, while the third group is the treatment group who got injected with miR-200 inhibitor intraperitoneally two hours before the LPS injection. Lung samples were collected. The right lungs will be preserved at -80 ºC for the biochemical analysis for miR-200 and ACE2, while the left lungs will be fixed in 10% formalin solution for the histopathological investigations for of NF-κB, TNF-α and IL-6. Results: The treated mice showed marked improvement in ACE2 levels with normal histological structure of lung tissue. There was also a downregulation of miR-200 and Ang 2 levels and marked elevation of Ang 1-7 levels Conclusion: The upregulation of miRNA-200 is considered an early potential noninvasive biomarker, while miRNA-200 inhibitor is considered to be a therapeutic agent for ARDS.