Amr K.S.Bayoumi F.S.Elgengehy F.T.Abdallah S.O.Ahmed H.H.Eissa E.Head of Medical Molecular Genetics DepartmentNational Research CentreCairoEgypt; Immunogenetics DepartmentNational Research CentreCairoEgypt; Head of Microbiology and Immunology DepartmentMSA UniversityCairoEgypt; Department of Rheumatology and RehabilitationFaculty of MedicineCairo UniversityCairoEgypt; Faculty of ScienceCairo UniversityGizaEgypt; Head of Medical Molecular Genetics DepartmentNational Research CentreEl Buhouth St.CairoDokki 12622Egypt2020-01-092020-01-0920161728172https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-016-3550-zPubMed ID 27510529https://t.ly/ZE6V9ScopusSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by familial aggregation and genetic predisposition. MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) serve as critical biomarkers in lupus patients because of their aberrant expression in different SLE stages. The study aimed to investigate the correlation of miR-31 and miR-21 with IL-2 in SLE patients as regulatory biomarkers in the activation of T lymphocytes of Egyptian lupus patients. Quantitative RT-PCR is carried out to estimate the expressions of miR-31 and miR-21, and IL-2 levels were determined using ELISA in plasma of 40 patients with SLE, 20 of their first-degree relatives and 20 healthy controls. The study also determined the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) score and proteinuria in SLE patients. The results revealed that miR-31 was lower expressed, while miR-21 was high expressed in SLE patients compared to their first-degree relatives and controls. MiR-31 was negatively correlated with SLEDAI and proteinuria in lupus patients, while miR-21 showed positive correlation with them. Also we found that there is a significant positive correlation between miR-31 and IL-2 in SLE patients, while miR-21 was negatively correlated with IL-2 level in patients. In conclusion, the study disclosed a significant association between miR-31 and miR-21 expression with IL-2 level in SLE patients. The regulatory biomarkers of miR-31 and miR-21 might have an impact on regulating IL-2 pathway expression and in turn on the activation of T lymphocytes in SLE. � 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.EnglishIL-2MiR-21MiR-31SLEbiological markerinterleukin 2microRNA 21microRNA 31biological markerinterleukin 2microRNAMIRN21 microRNA, humanMIRN31 microRNA, humanadultArticleclinical articlecontrolled studycorrelation analysisEgyptianenzyme linked immunosorbent assayfemalefirst-degree relativegene expressionhumanhuman cellmalepriority journalproteinuriaquantitative analysisreal time polymerase chain reactionSLEDAIsystemic lupus erythematosusT lymphocyte activationadolescentbloodEgyptgenetic association studygeneticsimmunologymetabolismmiddle agedseverity of illness indexsystemic lupus erythematosusT lymphocyteyoung adultAdolescentAdultBiomarkersEgyptFemaleGenetic Association StudiesHumansInterleukin-2Lupus Erythematosus, SystemicMaleMicroRNAsMiddle AgedSeverity of Illness IndexT-LymphocytesYoung AdultArticlehttps://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-016-3550-zPubMed ID 27510529