Molecular aspects of diabetes mellitus: Resistin, microRNA, and exosome

Mohammad Javad Saeedi Borujeni1, Ebrahim Esfandiary1, Gholamreza Taheripak2

  • 1Department of Anatomical SCIENCES and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Insights

Diabetes mellitus (DM) involves complex molecular pathways, including insulin resistance, microRNAs, and exosomes. Understanding these factors is crucial for managing DM progression and developing targeted therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Metabolic Disorders

Background:

  • Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common endocrine disorder stemming from deregulated cellular and molecular pathways.
  • Pathogenesis involves genetic mutations, phosphorylation, and altered gene expression, with insulin resistance playing a critical role.
  • MicroRNAs, exosomes, and resistin are key molecular players influencing DM initiation and progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize molecular aspects of DM pathogenesis.
  • To elucidate the role of insulin resistance pathways in DM.
  • To highlight the significance of microRNAs and exosomes in DM.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on DM molecular mechanisms.
  • Analysis of pathways implicated in insulin resistance, including PI3K, PPARγ, Akt, and microRNAs.
  • Examination of resistin's function in glucose metabolism and fatty acid uptake.

Main Results:

  • Insulin resistance impacts DM through various molecular pathways.
  • MicroRNAs and exosomes are significantly involved in DM development and progression.
  • Resistin affects glucose metabolism and fatty acid metabolism by targeting key proteins like CD36 and AMPK.

Conclusions:

  • Molecular pathways, particularly insulin resistance, microRNAs, and exosomes, are central to DM pathogenesis.
  • Further research into these molecular players can inform novel therapeutic strategies for DM.
  • Understanding resistin's mechanisms offers insights into metabolic dysregulation in DM.

Related Concept Videos

Overview of Exosomes01:36

Overview of Exosomes

Exosomes are stable, lipid bilayer-enclosed vesicles capable of crossing biological barriers. They can carry a wide range of molecules required for intercellular communication. Once exosomes are released from the cell where they originated, they enter a recipient cell through various pathways such as fusion, receptor-mediated endocytosis, macropinocytosis, and phagocytosis.
Stahl et al. discovered exosomes in 1983, but the exosomes were initially considered waste products released from the...
3.8K
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
4.2K
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After...
24.4K
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
3.9K
Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways01:28

Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways

Insulin action is mediated through a receptor tyrosine kinase, akin to the IGF-1 receptor. The number of receptors per cell varies significantly, from 40 on erythrocytes to 300,000 on adipocytes and hepatocytes. The insulin receptor consists of linked α/β subunit dimers, forming a heterotetramer glycoprotein with two extracellular α subunits and two β subunits spanning the membrane. The α subunits inhibit the inherent tyrosine kinase activity of the β subunits, but...
4.7K
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
5.2K