Dysregulated PBMC miR-124-3p, TNF-α, and Resistin in Diabetic Nephropathy

INTRODUCTION: Diabetic nephropathy (DN), a major complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), is driven in part by chronic inflammation. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) may provide accessible inflammatory biomarkers. To assess PBMC expression of microRNA-124-3p (miR-124-3p), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and resistin in DN and examine their association with proteinuria.
METHODS: This pilot case control study included 50 patients with T2DM: 25 with DN and 25 without. PBMCs were isolated from peripheral blood, and expression of miR-124-3p, TNF-α, and resistin was measured using real-time PCR. Clinical data, including 24-hour urine protein, were recorded. Correlation analyses evaluated relationships between markers and proteinuria.
RESULTS: DN patients showed significantly lower miR-124-3p expression and higher TNF-α and resistin expression compared with controls. TNF-α and resistin positively correlated with proteinuria, while miR-124-3p correlated inversely. No significant associations were found with HbA1c, serum creatinine, age, or diabetes duration. TNF-α and resistin were strongly positively correlated.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: DN is associated with increased pro-inflammatory markers and reduced miR-124-3p in PBMCs. Their correlation with proteinuria suggests potential as non-invasive indicators of inflammatory activity and disease severity.

Keywords: Diabetic nephropathy, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Peripheral blood mononuclear cells, microRNA-124-3p, TNF-α,,, Resistin