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Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Abstract

Introduction: Cyanide toxicity disrupts cellular respiration by inhibiting mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase a3, resulting in cellular hypoxia. The cellular response to hypoxia is mediated by hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) and associated microRNAs (hypoxamiRs). Among these, miR-429 and miR-200b have been implicated in HIF regulation and are reported to be upregulated during acute hypoxic conditions. However, their specific roles in cyanide-induced hypoxia remain poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of miR-429 and miR-200b in postmortem peripheral blood from cyanide poisoning cases. Methods: Postmortem blood was obtained from five cyanide poisoning cases and five non-asphyxial controls (PMI < 24 h). Total RNA was extracted, and 10 ng was used for cDNA synthesis with MultiScribe™ Reverse Transcriptase. Expression of miR-429 and miR-200b was quantified using TaqMan™ MicroRNA Assays on a QuantStudio™ 5 system. Relative expression was calculated by the 2^−ΔΔCT method and compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. One cyanide case was excluded due to low RNA quality. Results: Toxicological screening confirmed lethal cyanide concentrations consistent with oral ingestion. Autopsy findings commonly included pulmonary edema and renal tubular injury, with no definitive cerebral hypoxic changes. Comparative analysis revealed a trend toward upregulation of both miR-429 and miR-200b in the cyanide group (n = 4) relative to controls (n = 5). However, these differences were not statistically significant. (miR-429: p = 0.31; miR-200b: p = 0.22). Conclusion: This study identified a trend toward increased expression of miR-429 and miR-200b in cyanide poisoning cases, consistent with previous evidence linking these microRNAs to hypoxic responses. Although statistical thresholds were not achieved, the observed patterns suggest potential involvement of these microRNAs in cyanide-induced hypoxia. These preliminary findings underscore the need for further investigation in larger, well-defined cohorts to fully elucidate the diagnostic and mechanistic roles of miR-429 and miR-200b in cyanide toxicity.

DOI

10.56808/2673-060X.5698

First Page

1

Last Page

11

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