PHD Dissertation at Babylon Medical College on Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
As part of the activities of the Department of Clinical Biochemistry, a PhD dissertation defense was held at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, for the doctoral candidate Ali Qahtan Dhahir Jasim Al-Shammari. His dissertation was titled:
“Evaluation of 14-3-3? Protein, SEMA3A, and FOXP3 Gene Polymorphism in Iraqi Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis”,
supervised by Prof. Dr. Thanaa Mohammed Jouda and Prof. Dr. Ali Mohammed Hussein Al-Qazzaz.
The defense session was attended by the head of the department, Prof. Dr. Tariq Hussein Mughir, alongside several faculty members, researchers, academics, and postgraduate students.
During his defense, the researcher explained that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic, chronic autoimmune disorder of unknown origin, characterized by symmetrical polyarthritis, joint swelling, morning stiffness, and fatigue. He highlighted that the 14-3-3? isoform is a marker in the synovial fluid of RA patients. Additionally, Semaphorin-3A (SEMA3A) is a secreted glycoprotein from the Semaphorin family and plays a crucial immunoregulatory role during all stages of the immune response.
Study Objective
The study aimed to evaluate the overall diagnostic performance of the 14-3-3? protein in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Key Findings
The researcher reported the following significant findings:
• Anti-CCP protein and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly elevated in RA patients compared to the control group (P < 0.001).
• Semaphorin-3A levels were significantly decreased in RA patients compared to controls (P < 0.001), along with a reduction in FOXP3 levels.
• 14-3-3? protein levels were elevated in RA patients compared to controls (P = 0.001).
Genotyping Results
• FOXP3 gene polymorphism analysis identified the TT genotype as the predominant type:
• 40 patients (89%) carried the homozygous TT genotype, compared to 23 individuals (51%) in the control group.
• Heterozygous TA genotype was found in 5 patients (1.1%), compared to 22 individuals (49%) in the control group.
• The TT genotype was significantly more frequent in RA patients compared to the control group, with an odds ratio (OR) of 5.69 and a 95% confidence interval (2.143–14.99).
Conclusion
The 14-3-3? protein can be used as a diagnostic marker for rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, FOXP3 polymorphism, particularly the TT variant, may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of rheumatoid arthritis in affected patients
Written by: Abbas Mejeed