Association Between Circulating Micrornas And Metabolic Biomarkers In Patients With Prediabetes With Or Without Early Atherosclerosis

Background and Aims: Impaired glucose regulation and disregulation of microRNA-126, -145 and -155 are shown to promote atherosclerotic lesion formation. Our hypotheses was that expression of atherosclerosis related microRNAs correlate with unfavorable clinical parameters in patients with impaired glucose regulation and patients with premature coronary artery disease (CAD) have altered microRNA (miR) and unfavorable clinical parameter profile. Methods: A total of forty patients with impaired glucose regulation (HbA1c≥5.7) and stable CAD were enrolled. Clinical parameters, miR-126, miR-145, miR-155 expression and their associations were evaluated. Premature CAD was defined as coronary atherosclerosis diagnosed before the age of 55 years in men and 65 years in women. Results: Expression of miR-155 had a positive correlation with patient weight (r=0.40; p=0.006), triglycerides (r=0.32; p=0.025), fasting blood glucose (r=0.28; p=0.04), C-peptide (r=0.45; p=0.005), alanine aminotransferase (r=0.40; p=0.006) and a negative correlation with age (r=-0.35; p=0.014). No significant correlations between miR-126 and miR-145 and clinical characteristics were observed. However, miR-126 had a tendency towards correlation with total blood cholesterol (r=0.21; p=0.098), age (r=0.25; p=0.061) and miR-145 with triglycerides (r=0.25; p=0.059), fasting blood glucose (r=-0.21; p=0.094). In multivariate logistic regression analysis a significant correlation remained between miR-155 and C-peptide (β=0.45; p=0.011), weight (β=0.37; p=0.04) and alanine aminotransferase (β=0.30; p=0.046). Expression of microRNAs, lipid and glucose parameters did not have any differences in the group of patients with or without premature CAD. Conclusions: Expression of miR-155 was an independent predictor of higher C-peptide level and increased weight. MicroRNAs and clinical parameters did not differ in patients with or without premature CAD.