Elevated miR-143 and miR-34a gene expression in human visceral adipose tissue are associated with insulin resistance in non-diabetic adults: a cross-sectional study

Objective We aimed to evaluate the association of miR-143 and miR-34a expression in human visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissues with insulin resistance (IR). Methods VAT and SAT were obtained from 176 participants without diabetes. miR-143 and miR-34a expressions in VAT and SAT were measured using qRT-PCR. Fasting serum insulin and glucose concentration, homeostatic model assessment of IR index (HOMA-IR) and β-cell function (HOMA-B), and quantitative insulin-sensitivity check index (QUICKI) were calculated. Results After adjustment for age, sex and body mass index (BMI), VAT miR-143 expression was positively associated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin, and HOMA-IR, and negatively associated with HOMA-B and QUICKI. miR-34a expression in VAT was directly associated with FPG, insulin, and HOMA-IR and negatively associated with QUICKI. In SAT, miR-34a expression was positively associated with insulin and negatively associated with QUICKI. The interaction terms of HOMA-IR and BMI categories were significant for both miR gene expressions in VAT. After stratifying participants based on BMI, the association of miR-143 and miR-34a expressions in VAT with IR indices remained significant only in obese patients. Conclusion miR-143 and miR-34a expressions in VAT were independent predictors of IR in people without diabetes, and that this association was conditional on the degree of obesity. Level of evidence Level of evidence III, cross-sectional analytic study.