miR-34a, miR-124a and miR-218 deregulation in Helicobacter pylori associated gastric pathologies: their role in apoptotic pathways and gastrointestinal disease

Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the major factors in gastric diseases. This bacterium changes the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the stomach, contributing to inflammation and the development of gastric cancer. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the level of expression of miR-34a, miR-124a, and miR-218 in gastric biopsies caused by H. pylori infection, and to identify their role in apoptotic pathways. From March to August 2021, 98 antral gastric biopsy samples were collected at Imam Khomeini Hospital, Kermanshah, Iran. Patients were initially divided into two groups: the case group (68 H. pylori -positive patients with gastric disorders) and the control group (30 H. pylori -negative individuals without gastric disease). The expression of these miRNAs was quantified using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Subsequently, the expression of apoptotic proteins (Bax, Bcl2, Caspase-3) was measured via Western blotting assay. Our findings demonstrate a significant downregulation in the expression of miR-218 ( P < 0.001), miR-34a ( P = 0.002), and miR-124a ( P = 0.007) with 95% confidence intervals in infected tissue. Furthermore, these alterations were associated with changes in the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, and Caspase-3. These findings indicate that H. pylori positivity was associated with reduced expression of miR-34a, miR-124a, and miR-218, which may be involved in apoptotic pathways. These miRNAs may therefore have potential biological relevance in H. pylori -associated gastric diseases.