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

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). 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. 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-Band QUICKI. miR-34a expression in VAT was directly associated with FPG, insulin, and HOMA-IRand negatively associated with QUICKI. In SAT, miR-34a expression was positively associated with insulinand 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. 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 III, cross-sectional analytic study.