en زیست شناسی ملکولی Molecular Biology مقالات اصلی Original Article <div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>Background: </em></strong>Rheumatoid arthtritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease&nbsp;characterized by irreversible joint damage and deformity. The aim of this study is to investigate THRIL and&nbsp;HOTAIR serum expression and their target genes in Egyptian RA patients and to evaluate their relationship&nbsp;to the clinico-pathological data.<br> <br> <strong><em>Methods: </em></strong>The present study included fifty-two RA patients and fifty-six healthy controls. RA patients were&nbsp;classified according to DAS28 score. All subjects were subjected to full history taking and clinical&nbsp;examination. Quantitative real time PCR was done to estimate the expression levels of serum THRIL and<br> HOTAIR as well as their target genes tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-&alpha;) and metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-&nbsp;2) were estimated by ELISA techniques.<br> <br> <strong><em>Results:</em></strong> Results revealed that both THRIL and HOTAIR were statistically over expressed in RA patients&nbsp;compared to healthy group with p-value< 0.05. Results showed as well that the target genes for those longnon&nbsp;coding RNAs, TNF-&alpha; and MMP-2, were also significantly higher in RA patients compared to healthy&nbsp;controls.<br> <br> <strong><em>Conclusions:</em></strong> Both THRIL and HOTAIR associated with their target genes, can be considered as&nbsp;diagnostic markers for RA.</div> HOTAIR, Matrix metalloproteinase 2 and tumor necrosis factor alpha, Rheumatoid arthritis, THRIL. 697 710 http://rbmb.net/browse.php?a_code=A-10-842-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Engy Medhat dr-engy-abdelmegeed@hotmail.com. 100319475328460012487 100319475328460012487 Yes Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. Ghada Ayeldeen 100319475328460012488 100319475328460012488 No Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. Hanan Hosni Ahmed 100319475328460012489 100319475328460012489 No Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. Olfat Shaker 100319475328460012490 100319475328460012490 No Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. Tamer Gheita 100319475328460012491 100319475328460012491 No Rheumatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. Sara Salma Ashour 100319475328460012492 100319475328460012492 No Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University.