Preoperative plasma miR-144-3p to predict persistent type 2 diabetes after gastric bypass - a pilot proof-of-concept...

Area of Science:

• Metabolic Surgery
• Endocrinology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) offers metabolic benefits but does not guarantee type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remission for all patients.
• Identifying individuals unlikely to achieve glycemic success post-RYGB remains a clinical challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if preoperative circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can predict persistent T2DM after RYGB in women with obesity.
• To identify potential biomarkers for glycemic outcomes following bariatric surgery.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational cohort study of 28 women with obesity undergoing RYGB.
• Analysis of plasma miRNAs preoperatively and at 3, 12, and 60 months post-surgery.
• TaqMan Low Density Array screening followed by RT-qPCR validation of candidate miRNAs.

Main Results:

• Elevated preoperative miR-144-3p expression was observed in non-responders (NR) compared to responders (R) (p=0.033).
• Preoperative miR-144-3p predicted persistent T2DM with high specificity (AUC=0.771, p=0.023).
• Higher miR-144-3p levels at 3 months post-surgery were associated with later relapse in responders.

Conclusions:

• Preoperative miR-144-3p is a promising candidate biomarker for predicting persistent T2DM after RYGB.
• This finding could aid in patient selection and management strategies for T2DM following bariatric surgery.