CNR ExploRA

Articolo in rivista, 2021, ENG, 10.1186/s12263-021-00689-1

The association of circulating miR-191 and miR-375 expression levels with markers of insulin resistance in overweight children: an exploratory analysis of the I.Family Study

Giuseppe Iacomino, Fabio Lauria, Paola Russo, Antonella Venezia, Nunzia Iannaccone, Pasquale Marena, Wolfgang Ahrens, Stefaan De Henauw, Dénes Molnár, Gabriele Eiben, Ronja Foraita, Antje Hebestreit, Giannis Kourides, Luis A. Moreno, Toomas Veidebaum & Alfonso Siani on behalf of the I.Family Consortium

Institute of Food Sciences, National Research Council, ISA-CNR, via Roma 64, 83100, Avellino, Italy Giuseppe Iacomino, Fabio Lauria, Paola Russo, Antonella Venezia, Nunzia Iannaccone, Pasquale Marena & Alfonso Siani Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology, BIPS, Achterstraße 30, 28359, Bremen, Germany Wolfgang Ahrens, Ronja Foraita & Antje Hebestreit University of Ghent, C. Heymanslaan 10, 4K3, 9000, Ghent, Belgium Stefaan De Henauw Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary Dénes Molnár Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 3, 413 90, Göteborg, Sweden Gabriele Eiben Research and Education Institute of Child Health, ave, #205 2015, Strovolos, 138, Limassol, Cyprus Giannis Kourides University of Zaragoza, Domingo Miral, s/n, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain Luis A. Moreno National Institute for Health Development, Hiiu 42, 11619, Tallinn, Estonia Toomas Veidebaum

Background In recent years, the exciting emergence of circulating miRNAs as stable, reproducible, and consistent among individuals has opened a promising research opportunity for the detection of non-invasive biomarkers. A firm connection has been established between circulating miRNAs and glycaemic as well as metabolic homeostasis, showing that levels of specific miRNAs vary under different physio-pathological conditions. Objective In this pilot study, we investigated the expression of candidate miRNAs, hsa-miR-191-3p and hsa-miR-375, in relation to biomarkers associated with insulin sensitivity in a subgroup (n=58) of subjects participating to the European I.Family Study, a project aimed to assess the determinants of eating behaviour in children and adolescents and related health outcomes. The sample included overweight/obese children/adolescents since overweight/obesity is a known risk factor for impaired glucose homeostasis and metabolic disorders. Biological targets of candidate miRNAs were also explored in silico. Results We observed a significant association of the two miRNAs and early changes in glycaemic homeostasis, independent of covariates including country of origin, age, BMI z-score, puberty status, highest educational level of parents, total energy intake, energy from fats, energy from carbohydrates, and energy from proteins. Conclusion Identification of circulating miRNAs associated with insulin impairment may offer novel approaches of assessing early variations in insulin sensitivity and provide evidence about the molecular mechanisms connected to early changes in glycaemic homeostasis.

Genes & nutrition 16 (10)