Preliminary evidence supports circulating microRNAs as prognostic biomarkers for type 2 diabetes

Abstract

SummaryBackgroundCirculating microRNAs are emerging as potential prognostic biomarkers for the development of type 2 diabetes. However, microRNAs are also associated with complications from impaired glucose metabolism (e.g. endothelial cell function). Prior studies have not evaluated for associations between trajectories of circulating microRNAs with trajectories of fasting blood glucose over time and the responses to behavioral interventions to reduce risk. This study performed longitudinal assessment of microRNAs and fasting blood glucose and identified relationships between microRNAs and behavioral risk reduction interventions.MethodsMicroRNAs (n = 353) were measured in subsets (n = 10, n = 8) of participants from previously completed clinical trials that studied behavioral risk reduction interventions. Fasting blood glucose trajectories were associated with changes in 45 microRNAs over 12 months.ResultsFollowing a 3‐month physical activity and dietary intervention compared with baseline, 13 microRNAs were differentially expressed. Seven microRNAs (i.e. miR‐106b, miR‐20b, miR‐363, miR‐486, miR‐532, miR‐92a and miR‐93) were commonly identified between the two analyses.ConclusionsFurther studies are needed to determine which microRNAs are prognostic biomarkers of risk for type 2 diabetes versus consequences of impaired glucose metabolism. Additional future directions of this research are to differentiate whether microRNAs are prognostic and/or diagnostic biomarkers for risk for type 2 diabetes and predictive biomarkers of responses to risk reduction interventions.

Circulating Exosomal miR-20b-5p Is Elevated in Type 2 Diabetes and Could Impair Insulin Action in Human Skeletal Muscle

“…Lifestyle intervention programs to increase physical activity and promote weight loss in adults at risk for type 2 diabetes are associated with changes in circulating miRNAs, including reductions in miR-20b-5p (43). In mouse models, miR-20a-5p promotes adipocyte differentiation (44).…”

MicroRNA Signatures as Future Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Diabetes States

“…Among these, changes in miR-146a, miR-151a, miR-23a, miR-181b, miR-181d, miR-21, miR-221, miR-222, miR-223, miR-23, miR-24, and miR-27b levels strongly correlated with weight change over 3 months. Baseline levels of miR-143, miR-145, miR-146, miR-191, miR-221, miR-23a, miR-29a, and miR-584 strongly correlated with weight change after 3 months [59]. A vitamin D-induced increase in miR-152 levels correlated negatively with HbA1c, while a decrease in miR-192 levels correlated positively with fasting glucose in individuals at risk for T2D [63].…”

“…For other associations, see Supplementary Table S1. Interestingly, in patients with metabolic syndrome enrolled in the Practicing Restorative Yoga vs. Stretching for the Metabolic Syndrome (PRYSMS) study, weight loss improved the circulating miRNA profile [59]. In another cohort with obesity, an acute aerobic intervention in a single session further increased circulating levels of miRNAs involved in inflammation [66].…”

Short Report: Circulating microRNAs are associated with incident diabetes over 10 years in Japanese Americans

“…In our sample, except for miR-15a, the other associations were not replicated. A secondary analysis of the Practicing Restorative Yoga vs. Stretching for the Metabolic Syndrome study examined associations of circulating miRNAs with incident diabetes over 12 months of follow-up 15 . As in our study, baseline levels of miR-106b, miR-20b, miR-363, miR-486, miR-532 and miR-93 were associated with incident diabetes, as well as with response to a lifestyle intervention 15 .…”