An optimized QIAzol-based protocol for simultaneous miRNA, RNA, and protein isolation from precision-cut lung slices (PCLS).

Background: Precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) are ex vivo models with preserved lung cell populations and maintained tissue architecture. PCLS are, therefore, a powerful tool in respiratory research to study molecular mechanisms that closely reflect whole tissue biology. High-quality RNA and protein extraction from PCLS is, however, challenging as agarose significantly interferes with the yield and purity of extracted material.

Immunomodulatory effect of lithium treatment on in vitro model of neuroinflammation.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is psychiatric disorder of not fully acknowledged pathophysiology. Studies show the involvement of innate-immune system activation and inflammation in BD course and treatment efficiency. Microglia are crucial players in the inflammatory response possibly responsible for BD innate-immune activity.

The implication of ADRA2A and AVPRIB gene variants in the aetiology of stress-related bipolar disorder.

Objective: Bipolar disorder is a complex and severe mental illness characterised by manic and depressive episodes that can be triggered and exacerbated by psychosocial, environmental, and biological stressors. Genetic variations are a risk factor for bipolar disorder. However, the identification of the exact gene variants and genotypes remains complex.

Abelson Helper Integration Site 1 haplotypes and peripheral blood expression associates with lithium response and immunomodulation in bipolar patients.

Rationale: In bipolar disorder (BD), immunological factors play a role in the pathogenesis and treatment of the illness. Studies showed the potential link between Abelson Helper Integration Site 1 (AHI1) protein, behavioural changes and innate immunity regulation. An immunomodulatory effect was suggested for lithium, a mood stabilizer used in BD treatment.

Non-Coding RNAs in Pulmonary Diseases: Comparison of Different Airway-Derived Biosamples.

Due to their structural conservation and functional role in critical signalling pathways, non-coding RNA (ncRNA) is a promising biomarker and modulator of pathological conditions. Most research has focussed on the role of microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs). These molecules have been investigated both in a cellular and an extracellular context.

Extracellular vesicles-derived miRNAs as mediators of pulmonary exacerbation in pediatric cystic fibrosis.

Children with cystic fibrosis (CF) suffer from chronic inflammation and recurrent pulmonary exacerbations (PEs). We aimed to test whether a specific miRNA could be associated with the occurrence of PE. We sequenced extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived miRNA in sputum (= 20), exhaled breath condensate (EBC) (= 11), and serum (= 8) samples from pediatric patients during PE and the stable stage of CF.

Allergic inflammation in lungs and nasal epithelium of rat model is regulated by tissue-specific miRNA expression.

Introduction: Atopic asthma and allergic rhinitis are common chronic inflammatory diseases affecting lower airways and nasal mucosa, respectively. Several reports demonstrated frequent co-occurrence of these two diseases, however, the exact molecular mechanism has not been described. The present study aimed to investigate if small non-coding RNA might be responsible for the co-occurrence of asthma and allergic rhinitis in an animal model of allergic airway inflammation.

Molecular Regulation of the Melatonin Biosynthesis Pathway in Unipolar and Bipolar Depression.

Melatonin is a neurohormone that maintains the circadian rhythms of the body. By regulating the secretion of other hormones and neurotransmitters, it acts as a pleiotropic modulator that affects, for example, reproductive, immune, cardiovascular, sleep, and wake systems and mood. Thus, synthetic melatonin has become an essential component in the treatment of depressive disorders.

Decreased miRNA-320e correlates with allergy in children with otitis media with effusion.

Objective: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common childhood disease and the main cause of conductive hearing loss in this age group. Many factors predispose to OME but allergy is still widely disputed. The answer may lay in the molecular mechanisms of ear exudate formation and the recent studies showed miRNAs might take part in it.

Expression of proteins associated with airway fibrosis differs between children with allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic asthma (AA) exhibit similar inflammatory response in the airways. However, the remodelling is more extensive in the lower airways, suggesting that the inflammation itself is not sufficient for allergic phenotype. We aimed to analyse whether the expression of selected 27 inflammatory and fibrosis-related proteins may be altered in AR and AA in the paediatric population and whether the expression pattern is either similar (due to the inflammation) or disease-specific (due to the remodelling).

Association of circadian clock TIMELESS variants and expression with asthma risk in children.

Introduction: Bronchial asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by airway inflammation, allergen-induced hypersensitivity and dyspnea. Most asthmatic patients demonstrate oscillations of disease symptoms within 24 hours regulated by circadian clock genes. We hypothesized that these genes may be regulators of childhood asthma risk.

MiRNA Expression Profile in the Airways is Altered during Pulmonary Exacerbation in Children with Cystic Fibrosis-A Preliminary Report.

Unlabelled: MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate immune response and inflammation. We assumed that miRNAs may be involved in the immune response during cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbations (CFPE) and that altered expression profile in the airways and blood may underlie clinical outcomes in CF pediatric patients.

Methods: We included 30 pediatric patients diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

Correlation of metabolic parameters, neurotrophin-3, and neurotrophin-4 serum levels in women with schizophrenia and first-onset depression.

Background: Neurotrophin-3 (NTF3) and neurotrophin-4 (NTF4) play a crucial role in the neurodevelopment, differentiation, survival, and protection of neurons in different brain regions. Schizophrenia and depression are highly associated with metabolic abnormalities. Longitudinal and cross-sectional comparisons of NTF3 and NTF4 levels, as well as clinical and metabolic parameters, were studied in schizophrenia, first-episode depression, and control groups.

Changes in miRNA Gene Expression during Wound Repair in Differentiated Normal Human Bronchial Epithelium.

Purpose: Airway epithelium acts as a protective barrier against the particles from the inhaled air. Damage to the epithelium may result in loss of the barrier function. Epithelial repair in response to injury requires complex mechanisms, such as microRNA, small noncoding molecules, to regulate the processes involved in wound repair.

Leptin gene polymorphism affects leptin level in childhood asthma.

Background: Leptin may induce inflammation in asthma by activation of Th2 cells. It has also been demonstrated that leptin expression increases upon inflammation and that asthmatic patients show increased serum leptin levels. We hypothesized that the polymorphism in leptin (LEP) and leptin receptor (LEPR) genes is associated with childhood asthma and may affect their serum level.

Genes involved in stress response influence lithium efficacy in bipolar patients.

Objectives: In mood disorders, chronic stimulation with stress results in aberrant regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Lithium was shown to influence HPA axis function. The underlying genetic background as well as environmental context may influence the stress response, and therefore lithium efficacy.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum level in women with first-episode depression, correlation with clinical and metabolic parameters.

Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) influences neuron differentiation during development, as well as the synaptic plasticity and neuron survival in adulthood. BDNF has been implicated in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders and its serum level is a potential biomarker for depression. The aim of this study was to examine serum levels of BDNF in first-episode depression and its correlation with clinical and metabolic parameters.

Non-Coding RNAs in Pediatric Airway Diseases.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are involved in the regulation of numerous biological processes and pathways and therefore have been extensively studied in human diseases. Previous reports have shown that non-coding RNAs play a crucial role in the pathogenesis and aberrant regulation of respiratory diseases. The altered expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs in blood and also locally in sputum or exhaled breath condensate influences lung function, immune response, and disease phenotype and may be used for the development of biomarkers specific for airway disease.

MicroRNA-328 is involved in wound repair process in human bronchial epithelial cells.

Our aim was to investigate the role of microRNA on epithelial wound repair by global microRNA silencing. We have also analysed the influence of five miRNAs (miR-328, miR-342, miR-411, miR-609, miR-888, previously identified) on wound repair in 16HBE14o-bronchial epithelial cell line. Cells were transfected with siRNAs against human DROSHA and DICER1 or miRNA mimics or inhibitors.

Comparison of miRNA profiling during airway epithelial repair in undifferentiated and differentiated cells in vitro.

Respiratory epithelium is a highly integrated structure that efficiently protects lungs from extrinsic irritants thanks to rapid repair of the wound. The repair is a complex process that requires coordinated expression of networks of genes. Plausible regulators of this process are microRNAs.