MiR-181b Expression Levels as Molecular Biomarker for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as a progressive metabolic disorder is rising very fast around the world. Diagnosis of T2DM at early stages (prediabetic) is important in reducing the mortality associated with this disease. Several studies have shown that micro-RNAs play a major role in the pathogenesis of the T2DM. Because of the high stability of these regulatory RNA in body fluids and the availability of sensitive technology, such as Real-time PCR for detecting them, they can be used as epigenetic biomarker in the early diagnosis of T2DM. In this study, for the first time, miR - 181 expression levels were investigated in patients with T2DM in Yazd province, Iran.

In this experimental study, Real-time PCR was used to quantify expression levels of miR-181b in 90 individuals including T2DM patients (n=30), prediabetic (n=30), and healthy individuals (n=30).

There were significant differences in miR-181b expression levels between the groups studied.

Reduced miR-181b expression levels in T2DM and pre-diabetic subjects compared to healthy individuals suggests that miR-181b could be used as a new epigenetic diagnostic marker for early diagnosis of T2DM.