Circulating microRNAs demonstrate limited diagnostic potential for diabetic retinopathy in the population of Kazakhstan
Magazova A. Ashirbekov Y. Abaildayev A. Satken K. Utegenova G. Belkozhayev A. Balmukhanova A. Dzhumatayeva Z. Beissova A. Shargorodska I. Balmukhanova A. Sharipov K.
2025PeerJ Inc.
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2025#13Issue 4
Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common complication of diabetes, leading to blindness. The asymptomatic onset and the existing difficulties in diagnosing warrant the search for biomarkers that can facilitate the early diagnosis of DR. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of plasma microRNAs (miRNAs), which have previously been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of DR and differentially expressed in plasma/serum of patients, as biomarkers for DR in the Kazakhstani population. Materials and Methods: Using quantitative RT-PCR, we compared the levels of ten candidate miRNAs in plasma among three groups: type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with DR (DR patients, N = 100), T2DM patients without DR (noDR patients, N = 98), and healthy controls (N = 30). Results: Level of miR-423-3p was significantly reduced in DR patients compared to noDR patients (pFDR = 5.4 × 10−3). Levels of miR-423-3p and miR-221-3p were significantly reduced in DR patients compared to controls (pFDR = 5.4 × 10−3 and 0.024, respectively), level of miR-23a-3p was significantly reduced in noDR patients compared to controls (pFDR = 0.047), levels of miR-221-3p and miR-23a-3p were significantly reduced in T2DM patients (combined group) compared to controls (pFDR = 0.047, and 0.049, respectively). Also, there were several significant differences between groups formed based on clinical-pathological characteristics, but none of these results remained significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Correlation analysis revealed weak associations between the levels of miR-423 and miR-221-3p and DR staging (pFDR = 1.3 × 10−3 and 0.026, respectively), and fair associations between the levels of miR-29b-3p and miR-328-3p and diabetes duration in noDR patients (pFDR = 8.8 × 10−3 and 0.016, respectively). According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, only miR-23a-3p can be considered a potential biomarker with moderate informativeness for diagnosing proliferative DR (PDR); however, a larger sample size is needed to verify this finding. Furthermore, the small magnitude of observed changes in miRNA levels between groups significantly complicates classification. Conclusions: Due to the low specificity and small magnitude of deviations from the norm, the studied miRNAs have low potential in the diagnosis of DR. Copyright 2025 Magazova et al.
Blood plasma biomarker , Circulating microRNA , Diabetic retinopathy , Type 2 diabetes mellitus
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Aitkhozhin Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Almaty Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Ophthalmology, Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Biology, South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University named after Ozbekali Zhanibekov, Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Geology and Oil-Gas Business Institute named after K. Turyssov, Satbayev University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Health Policy and Organization, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Eye Diseases, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Public Health, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Ophthalmology and Optometry Department of Postgraduate Education, Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
International Medical School, Caspian University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Biochemistry, Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Aitkhozhin Institute of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Almaty Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital
Department of Ophthalmology
Department of Biology
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Department of Health Policy and Organization
Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Eye Diseases
Department of Public Health
Ophthalmology and Optometry Department of Postgraduate Education
International Medical School
Department of Biochemistry
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