ESPE Abstracts

Background: Low birth weight is associated with increased cardio-metabolic diseases in adulthood. Specific circulating miRNA seem to be predictive of cardio-metabolic risk.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the circulating levels of mir-122, mir-16, mir-126, and mir-486 in a cohort of SGA and AGA subjects, evaluated longitudinally in childhood and early adulthood.

Method: Anthropometric and biochemical-metabolic evaluations were performed in 23 SGA (13 F/10 M) and 28 AGA (17 F/11M) subjects at the age of 9 and 21 years. IGF-I and IGF-II levels were assessed. Serum levels of mir-122, mir-16, mir-126, and mir-486 were analyzed by qPCR.

Results: All SGA subjects had shown catch-up growth though were shorter than AGA, both at 9 years (0.08±1.06 SDS vs 0.76±1.2 SDS, P< 0.05) and at 21 years (−0.21±0.76 SDS vs 0.65±1.32 SDS, P<0.05) whereas metabolic profiles and IGF levels were not significantly different. miRNAs expression did not differ between females and males. mir-122 and mir-486 expression was not influenced by age, whereas mir-16 and mir-126 levels were higher at 9 years than at 21 years. Mir-122, mir-16, mir-126, and mir-486 expression was not different between SGA and AGA subjects, both at 9 and 21 years. In SGA subjects, mir-122 expression at 9 years was inversely related to adiponectin levels at 21 years (r=−0.48, P=0.05) and mir-486 expression at 9 years was inversely related to WBISI (whole-body insulin sensitivity) at 9 years (r=−0.52, P<0.05) and directly related to Hb1Ac at 21 years (r=0.52, P< 0.05). In AGA subjects, mir-122 expression at 9 years was directly related to BMI (r=0.5, P<0.05) and LDL-cholesterol levels (r=0.5, P<0.05) at 21 years. mir-486 expression at 9 years was directly related to leptin at 9 years (r=0.5, P=0.02) and mir-486 expression at 21 years was inversely related to adiponectin levels at 21 years (r=0.5, P=0.02).

Conclusion: SGA subjects with catch-up growth and AGA subjects do not show significant differences in biochemical and endocrine markers of metabolic risk and in miRNAs circulating levels. Specific miRNAs correlate with single parameters of metabolic risk. The relationship between miRNA levels and metabolic parameters in SGA and AGA subjects requires further studies aiming at evaluating the possible use of miRNAs as markers of increased cardio-metabolic risk.