The role of microRNAs in pathophysiology and diagnostics of metabolic complications in obstructive sleep apnea patients

Filip Franciszek Karuga; Julia Jaromirska; Mikołaj Malicki; Marcin Sochal; Bartosz Szmyd; Piotr Białasiewicz; Dominik Strzelecki; Agata Gabryelska

doi:10.3389/fnmol.2023.1208886

The role of microRNAs in pathophysiology and diagnostics of metabolic complications in obstructive sleep apnea patients

Front Mol Neurosci. 2023 Jul 21:16:1208886. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1208886. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Filip Franciszek Karuga¹, Julia Jaromirska¹, Mikołaj Malicki¹, Marcin Sochal¹, Bartosz Szmyd^{2

3}, Piotr Białasiewicz¹, Dominik Strzelecki⁴, Agata Gabryelska¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
² Department of Neurosurgery and Neuro-Oncology, Barlicki University Hospital, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
³ Department of Pediatrics, Oncology, and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
⁴ Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most common sleep disorders, which is characterized by recurrent apneas and/or hypopneas occurring during sleep due to upper airway obstruction. Among a variety of health consequences, OSA patients are particularly susceptible to developing metabolic complications, such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus type 2. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as epigenetic modulators are promising particles in both understanding the pathophysiology of OSA and the prediction of OSA complications. This review describes the role of miRNAs in the development of OSA-associated metabolic complications. Moreover, it summarizes the usefulness of miRNAs as biomarkers in predicting the aforementioned OSA complications.

Keywords: OSA; diabetes; metabolic complications; metabolic syndrome; microRNA; obstructive sleep apnea.

Publication types

Review