Association of methylation patterns in miRNAs related to gastrointestinal diseases in Down syndrome: A narrative review

Abstract

Down syndrome (DS) is associated with multiple comorbidities such as gastrointestinal diseases, including Crohn's disease, celiac disease, and ulcerative colitis. These diseases have been associated with differential expression patterns in miRNAs due to the regulatory function of these molecules in different processes. The expression of miRNAs may be regulated by methylation patterns that in turn could be altered in DS due to the presence of the Dnmt3L enzyme gene on chromosome 21 (HSA21) that participates in the generation of de novo methylation patterns. That could explain the increased risks of comorbidities and phenotypic diversity observed in DS. The objective of this review was to know the current state of the art relating methylation patterns and miRNAs expressions with gastrointestinal diseases in DS. The study of these relationships is an area of opportunity for biomedical research in the search for biomarkers or possible therapeutic targets.