Circulating microRNAs and alcohol consumption in the multiethnic cohort study

Area of Science:

• Biomarkers
• Genetics
• Public Health

Background:

• Excessive alcohol consumption is a major health concern linked to liver disease and cancer.
• Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging biomarkers influenced by lifestyle factors like alcohol intake.
• Limited research exists on alcohol's impact on miRNAs, especially in diverse populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between alcohol consumption patterns and circulating miRNA levels within the Multiethnic Cohort Study.
• To identify specific miRNAs that may serve as biomarkers for alcohol intake across different demographic groups.

Main Methods:

• Utilized negative binomial models to analyze data from 917 participants with baseline alcohol consumption and follow-up miRNA data.
• Categorized participants into non-drinkers, light drinkers, and heavy drinkers based on daily ethanol intake.
• Conducted stratified analyses by sex, race/ethnicity, smoking status, and body mass index.

Main Results:

• No significant association was found between continuous alcohol intake and miRNAs after multiple comparison correction.
• Light and heavy drinkers showed an inverse association with miR-451a compared to non-drinkers (IRR=0.59 and 0.44, respectively).
• Light drinkers exhibited an inverse association with miR-320e compared to non-drinkers (IRR=0.63).

Conclusions:

• Specific miRNAs, including miR-451a and miR-320e, are associated with alcohol consumption levels (light and heavy drinking) compared to non-drinking.
• These findings suggest potential utility of these miRNAs as biomarkers for alcohol intake, with potential subgroup-specific variations.
• Further research is warranted to explore the clinical implications of these miRNA alterations in relation to alcohol-related diseases.