Analysis of serum Growth Differentiation Factor–15, SMAD7, miRNA-21 & miRNA-181b in pre-diabetics and type 2 diabetics without comorbidities-a case-control study

• Published in: Aspects of molecular medicine 2023-12, Vol.2, p.100020, Article 100020
• Main Authors: Roy, Dipayan, Khokhar, Manoj, Shukla, Ravindra Kumar, Sharma, Praveen, Purohit, Purvi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: GDF-15; miR-181b-5p; miR-21-5p; SMAD7; Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• ISSN: 2949-6888; 2949-6888
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amolm.2023.100020

Background: Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15) is involved in insulin resistance and diabetes. But its association with mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 7 (Smad7), miR-21, and miR-181b in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients without comorbidities is not established. The roles of miR-21 and miR-181b as diagnostic tools in these conditions also need exploration. Methods: One hundred sixteen patients, including diabetics (n = 56), pre-diabetics (n = 30), and non-diabetic controls (n = 30), were recruited. Fasting venous blood samples were collected for biochemical analyses, total RNA isolation, and real-time PCR. Results: Serum GDF-15 showed an increasing trend from healthy controls to pre-diabetic and T2DM patients. Our study also showed upregulated miR-21 and miR-181b and downregulated Smad7 expressions in prediabetes and T2DM groups. Serum GDF-15 was positively associated with miR-21 (ρ = 0.345, p