Elevated miR-143 and miR-34a gene expression in human visceral adipose tissue are associated with insulin resistance in non-diabetic adults: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the association of miR-143 and miR-34a expression in human visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissues with insulin resistance (IR).

Methods: VAT and SAT were obtained from 176 participants without diabetes. miR-143 and miR-34a expressions in VAT and SAT were measured using qRT-PCR. Fasting serum insulin and glucose concentration, homeostatic model assessment of IR index (HOMA-IR) and β-cell function (HOMA-B), and quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICKI) were calculated.

Results: After adjustment for age, sex and body mass index (BMI), VAT miR-143 expression was positively associated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin, and HOMA-IR, and negatively associated with HOMA-B and QUICKI. miR-34a expression in VAT was directly associated with FPG, insulin, and HOMA-IR and negatively associated with QUICKI. In SAT, miR-34a expression was positively associated with insulin and negatively associated with QUICKI. The interaction terms of HOMA-IR and BMI categories were significant for both miR gene expressions in VAT. After stratifying participants based on BMI, the association of miR-143 and miR-34a expressions in VAT with IR indices remained significant only in obese patients.

Conclusion: miR-143 and miR-34a expressions in VAT were independent predictors of IR in people without diabetes, and that this association was conditional on the degree of obesity.

Level of evidence: Level of evidence III, cross-sectional analytic study.

Keywords: Adipose tissues; Gene expression; Glucose homeostasis; Insulin resistance; miRNAs.