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Updated: Jan 24, 2026
Sample Preparation to Bioinformatics Analysis of DNA Methylation: Association Strategy for Obesity and Related Trait Studies
Published on: May 6, 2022
THE ASSOCIATION OF PLASMA LEVELS OF miR-34a AND miR-149 WITH OBESITY AND INSULIN RESISTANCE IN OBESE CHILDREN AND
F Ahmadpour1, M Nourbakhsh1, M Razzaghy-Azar2,3
1Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Context:
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs involved in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression that influence various cellular functions including glucose and lipid metabolism and adipocyte differentiation.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of miR-34a and miR-149 and their relationship with metabolic parameters in obese children and adolescents.
Design:
Seventy children and adolescents were enrolled in the study. Plasma levels of microRNAs were evaluated by real-time PCR using SYBR green and analyzed by ΔCt method. Plasma concentrations of visfatin and insulin were measured by ELISA method. Glucose and lipid profile were determined colorimetrically. HOMA-IR was calculated and used as an index of insulin resistance (IR).
Results:
miR-34a was significantly lower in subjects with insulin resistance compared to obese children with normal insulin sensitivity. There was an inverse relationship between miR-34a levels and both insulin and HOMA-IR. On the other hand, miR-149 was significantly correlated with visfatin. There was no significant difference in miR-34a and miR-149 between obese and normal weight subjects.
Conclusions:
miR-34a is associated with insulin and HOMA-IR and thus seems to be involved in IR. miR-149 is inversely associated with visfatin levels which could be indicative of anti-inflammatory effect of this miRNA.
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