Serum microRNA-221 as a biomarker for diabetic retinopathy in patients associated with type 2 diabetes

He-Nan Liu; Xun Li; Na Wu; Meng-Meng Tong; Shuo Chen; Shan-Shan Zhu; Wei Qian; Xiao-Long Chen

doi:10.18240/ijo.2018.12.02

International Journal of Ophthalmology (Dec 2018)

Serum microRNA-221 as a biomarker for diabetic retinopathy in patients associated with type 2 diabetes

He-Nan Liu,
Xun Li,
Na Wu,
Meng-Meng Tong,
Shuo Chen,
Shan-Shan Zhu,
Wei Qian,
Xiao-Long Chen

Affiliations

He-Nan Liu: Department of Ophthalmology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
Xun Li: Department of Ophthalmology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
Na Wu: Department of Endocrinology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
Meng-Meng Tong: Sino-Dutch Biomedical and Information Engineering School, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110169, Liaoning Province, China
Shuo Chen: Sino-Dutch Biomedical and Information Engineering School, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110169, Liaoning Province, China
Shan-Shan Zhu: Sino-Dutch Biomedical and Information Engineering School, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110169, Liaoning Province, China
Wei Qian: Sino-Dutch Biomedical and Information Engineering School, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110169, Liaoning Province, China; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, 500W University, El Paso, Texas 79902, USA
Xiao-Long Chen: Department of Ophthalmology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18240/ijo.2018.12.02
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 12
pp. 1889 – 1894

Abstract

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AIM: To investigate the candidate microRNA (miRNA), miR-221 as a novel biomarker for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: The subjects involved were divided into four groups: healthy control (HC), no diabetic retinopathy (NDR), non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) group. Serum miR-221 was validated by real-time quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Also, serum angiotensin II (Ang II) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In addition, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to explore the diagnostic accuracy of miR-221, Ang II and VEGF for DR in patients with T2D. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was executed to estimate the correlations of serum miR-221 with metabolic parameters and serum markers in patients with T2D. RESULTS: Primarily, serum miR-221, Ang II and VEGF were increased significantly in T2D patients compared to HC participant respectively, and progressive up-regulated in NDR, NPDR and PDR groups (P<0.001). Additionally, miR-221 in serum was remarkably positively correlated with metabolic parameters such as glycated hemoglobin (r=0.310, P=0.002) and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (r=0.413, P<0.001), as well as serum markers for instance Ang II (r=0.667, P<0.001) and VEGF (r=0.499, P<0.001). Furthermore, serum miR-221 (AUC, 0.894; 95%CI, 0.833-0.955; P<0.001), Ang II (AUC, 0.888; 95%CI, 0.828-0.949; P<0.001) and VEGF (AUC, 0.785; 95%CI, 0.695-0.875; P<0.001) had evidently diagnostic efficiency in DR, and miR-221 is the most effective among them. CONCLUSION: Serum miR-221 as a potential biomarker could be related to not only occurrence but also progression for DR in patients with T2D. However, a prospective clinical trial is warranted.

Published in International Journal of Ophthalmology

ISSN: 2222-3959 (Print); 2227-4898 (Online)
Publisher: Press of International Journal of Ophthalmology (IJO PRESS)
Country of publisher: China
LCC subjects: Medicine: Ophthalmology
Website: http://www.ijo.cn/gjyken/ch/index.aspx

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