Objectives: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a kind of viral pneumonia which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small non-coding RNAs consisting of 19–25 nucleotides and play a role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. We have focused on serum expression levels of microRNA (miRNA) a novel concept of in host–virus interactions. MicroRNA expression profiles were investigated in serum samples of COVID-19 patients. Materials and methods: The samples were collected from 40 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 patients and from 10 healthy controls. Expression profile of 20 miRNAs were examined using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results: Statistically significant expression level differences (p < 0.05) were detected in nine miRNAs in COVID-19 patients and healthy controls. 7 miRNAs (hsa-let-7d, hsa-miR-17, hsa-miR-34b, hsa-miR-93, hsa-miR-200b, hsa-miR-200c, hsa-miR-223) expression levels were found to be significantly decreased and the expression levels of 2 miRNAs (hsa-miR-190a and hsa-miR-203) significantly increased respect to healthy controls. Conclusions: We expect that a miRNA profile can be beneficial for the diagnosis of the COVID-19. Our result revealed that the increase in hsa-miR-190a level may be a prognostic factor related to the COVID-19 disease.

Objectives: This study aimed to reveal the genetic background of patients in the two-generation family suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthropathy pain, scratches, and bruises. Patients and methods: A clinical exome sequencing analysis was performed in 10 individuals in the same family using the Sophia Genetics clinical exome solution kit. Results: A novel V194L mutation in the TMEM173 gene was identified in three members of the family. Two of the family members were treated with the JAK3 inhibitor tofacitinib and recovered completely one month after the treatment. Conclusion: The V194L mutation was reported for the first time in this study, and a positive response was achieved with tofacitinib.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the second leading cause of death among women with gynecological cancers, particularly in high-income countries. Despite significant advancements in molecular oncology and an initially positive response to primary chemotherapy, the development of drug resistance remains a major challenge in the effective management of EOC. Consequently, there is an urgent need for innovative biological markers that can enable early diagnosis and provide more accurate predictions of recurrence risk in ovarian cancer patients. This study investigated the expression profiles of seven specific long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs)—SNHG7, TUG1, XIST1, PRLB, TLR8-AS1, ZFAS1, and PVT1—associated with epithelial ovarian cancer and their relationship with drug resistance. To achieve this, drug-resistant subtypes of aggressive EOC cell lines, including carboplatin/paclitaxel-resistant OVCAR3 and SKOV3 lines, were developed. The expression profiles of the selected lncRNAs were quantitatively analyzed using RT-qPCR across various ovarian cancer cell lines and in serum samples from 25 patients before chemotherapy, six months after treatment, and 23 healthy controls. The findings revealed that the target lncRNAs were significantly upregulated under drug-resistant conditions and in post-chemotherapy serum samples, suggesting their involvement in a complex regulatory network. These results highlight the critical roles of lncRNAs in the progression and treatment response of EOC, positioning them as potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment stratification. Identifying reliable lncRNA biomarkers could enable the early detection of patients at risk for developing drug resistance, thereby facilitating personalized treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes and survival rates.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship between the interferon-gamma receptor 1 (IFNGR1) polymorphism and susceptibility to lung sarcoidosis. Patients and methods: The study included a total of 55 patients (13 males, 42 females; mean age: 46.5±9.1 years; range, 22 to 66 years) with lung sarcoidosis and 28 healthy controls (6 males, 22 females; mean age: 43.9±5.9 years; range 22 to 60 years) selected from the Turkish population. The polymerase chain reaction was used for genotyping of participants to determine single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, which is considered an important tool for detecting genotyping errors, was tested. Allele and genotype frequencies of patients and controls were compared using logistic regression analysis. Results: The analyses showed no correlation between the tested IFNGR1 single-nucleotide polymorphism (rs2234711) and lung sarcoidosis (p>0.05). The categorization analysis according to the clinical features, laboratory, and radiographic characteristics showed no correlation between the tested polymorphism of IFNGR1 (rs2234711) and these characteristics (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the tested gene polymorphism (rs2234711) of IFNGR1 was not associated with lung sarcoidosis. More comprehensive studies are needed to verify our results.

Objective: Lung cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Protein kinase B (AKT) protein is associated with many pathways in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), such as proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. Mushrooms have a long history of being used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases. Scientists have been exploring the potential of mushrooms for their antioxidant and anticancer properties. In our study, the anti-oxidant, invasion, and apoptosis effects of mushroom extracts were investigated in NSCLC. Materials and Methods: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer cell lines H1299, PC-3, and PC-14 were used in our study. After obtaining the extracts of Rhizopogon luteolus and Ganoderma adspersum, IC50 value was calculated as 25.04-11.73-16.54 ng/ul for R. luteolus and 2.97-1.53-1.01 μg/ul for G. adspersum, respectively, in H1299, PC3 and PC14 cell lines. Afterward, proliferative and invasion effects, as well as apoptosis and anti-oxidant effects, were investigated using the IC50 dose. Western blotting was performed to investigate the pathways of these effects. Results: According to the results of our study, Rhizopogon luteolus and Ganoderma adspersum extracts have anti-proliferative and anti-invasive effects on non-small lung cancer cell lines and induced apoptosis, which has been found to increase the anti-oxidant effect. It was found that this effect was due to cross-talk between antioxidant activity and the AKT-Rb pathway. Conclusion: We anticipate that Rhizopogon luteolus and Ganoderma adspersum extracts will be effective in cancer treatment by suppressing lung cancer cells via p-Akt and Rb.