Effects of indoor air pollution on asthma and serum level of miR-155 in children

Objective To explore the relationship between indoor air pollution and asthma in children and its potential molecular mechanism.

Methods A total of 176 healthy subjects were selected as control group and 176 asthmatic children as asthma group. The level of serum miR-155 was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). HCHO, NO₂, and particles (PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁) were measured. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between air pollutants and asthma risk.

Results The serum level of miR-155 in asthma group was significantly higher than that in control group (P < 0.001). Allergy history of Children, breastfeeding history, environmental tobacco smoke history, PM_2.5, and HCHO were related to the occured of asthma (P < 0.05). The level of serum miR-155 in asthma group was related to the levels of PM_2.5 and HCHO in the room (P < 0.05), and this relationship was not observed in the control group.

Conclusions The level of serum miR-155 is closely related to the levels of PM_2.5 and HCHO in children with asthma. Indoor air pollution aggravates the incidence of asthma in children in Xi'an province of China, and induces change of miR-155 level.