PECULIARITIES OF MIR-146A AND MIR-155 EXPRESSION IN PATIENTS WITH ALLERGOPATHY IN COMBINATION WITH CHRONIC EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS INFECTION IN LATENT AND ACTIVE PHASES

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is referred to the viruses with lifelong persistence in the human body in active and latent phases. EBV initiates impairment of expression of cell microRNA, which participates in the regulation of immune system function and can be related to different pathological conditions, including allergopathy. Aim - to assess the levels of miR-146a and miR-155 expression in patients with allergopathy in combination with active and latent phases of EBV infection. Clinical, general laboratory, cytological, instrumental, specific allergological, molecular-genetic investigations were performed. Based on these investigations, patients were divided into two groups: 1st group (27 individuals) with allergopathy and active phase of chronic EBV-infection, 2nd group (19 individuals) with allergopathy and latent phase of EBV infection. Control group included 20 healthy individuals. Higher (р>0.05) levels of miR-146a expression were detected in patients of both groups compared with control group. Expression of miR-155 was higher (р>0.05) only in patients of the 1st group compared with control. No significant difference was noticed between investigated groups. In latent phase, EBV uses own mechanisms of latency to avoid immune surveillance, which are manifested by increase in miR-155 and miR-146а expression. In active phase, this vector of changes intensified and was associated with acute manifestations of allergopathy.