Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aims

Lifestyle modifications based on diet and exercise are common strategies for the treatment and prevention of obesity and related comorbidities. However, not all patients respond equally to similar weight loss intervention which compromise patient adherence. Strategies for predicting the individual response are required for improving intervention efficiency by personalized recommendations. microRNAs (miRNAs), small RNA particles which regulates gene expression, has been detected in the circulation and proposed as biomarkers for disease and treatment response. However, there are few studies analyzing the usefulness of circulating miRNAs (c-miRNAs) as predictive biomarkers for the response to lifestyle modifications. Furthermore, c-miRNAs has not been specifically analyzed regarding interventions based on Mediterranean diet, which has been associated with higher health-related quality of life. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the relationship of the response to hypocaloric Mediterranean diet and promotion of physical activity with c-miRNAs previously associated with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and obesity.

Material and methods

Obese subjects (BMI > 30 kg/m²; n = 60) underwent a hypocaloric Mediterranean diet together with increased physical activity during 1 year and c-miRNA levels as well as biochemical and anthropometric parameters were determined before and at year 1. Participants were classified according to their 1-year weight loss in low-responders (LR) and high-responders (HR).

Results

There was a significant improvement in anthropometric and biochemical variables after intervention, together with significant modification in miR-150 levels. HR subjects had lower baseline miR-130a and miR-150 levels than LR group (P < 0.05). There were positive and significant (P < 0.05) correlations between baseline miR-130a levels and weight at year 1; baseline miR-150 levels and HbA1c and triglyceride levels at year 1; baseline miR-142–3p and weight, BMI and glucose levels at year 1. In a lineal regression model baseline miR-150 levels were independently associated with weight loss at year 1. Notably, In silico enrichment analyses of miRNA target genes showed an involvement in adiposity-related and metabolic pathways.

Conclusion

c-miRNAs might be predictive biomarkers for the interindividual response to dietary intervention based on Mediterranean lifestyle.