Study of MicroRNAs Expression in Food Allergy

Abstract

Food allergy is a current worldwide problem. Consequently, it is necessary to identify the different molecules that modulate these reactions and that can be used as potential biomarkers. In recent years there has been increasing interest in the field of allergy on microRNAs (miRNAs). These molecules regulate a wide variety of physiological processes and have been proposed as promising candidate biomarkers.Currently, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has allowed to determine the profile of all miRNAs from different samples. In addition, there are several methods to extract RNA and miRNAs, from different sources such as serum, extracellular vesicles (EVs), and/or cell extracts. Following extraction, a retrotranscription step must be carried out before miRNA levels can be quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).This chapter aimed to describe the discovery techniques used to determine the differential profile of miRNAs from different types of samples, as well as the diverse methods employed to extract these molecules and quantify specific changes in their levels by qPCR.

Keywords: Biomarker; Food allergy; MicroRNAs; Molecular bases; Next-generation sequencing; PCR; Reverse transcription.