Expression of miR141-3p, 146a-5p, and 148-3p in Periodontal Disease

Background: Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by progressive destruction of the supporting tissues of the teeth. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key post-transcriptional regulators of immune and inflammatory responses; however, their coordinated expression patterns in periodontal disease remain incompletely understood. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the expression of miR-141-3p, miR-146a-5p, and miR-148b-3p in periodontal disease and to explore their potential co-regulation in relation to periodontal inflammation. Methods: Gingival samples were collected from individuals with periodontal disease and periodontally healthy controls. miRNA expression levels were quantified by real-time quantitative PCR using TaqMan assays and normalized to miR-191-5p. Relative expression was calculated using the ΔΔCt method. Statistical analyses included group comparisons and correlation analyses to assess relationships among miRNA expression levels. Results: miR-146a-5p expression was significantly reduced in periodontal disease compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05), while miR-141-3p showed a consistent downward trend without reaching statistical significance. No significant differences were observed for miR-148b-3p expression between groups. Notably, strong positive correlations were identified among the three miRNAs, indicating coordinated expression patterns independent of disease stage or grade. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate altered expression of miR-146a-5p and coordinated regulation of miR-141-3p, miR-146a-5p, and miR-148b-3p in periodontal disease. These results support the concept that miRNAs act within regulatory networks rather than as isolated markers and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of miRNA-mediated regulation in periodontal inflammation.