Circulating microRNA as Biomarkers for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a severe pregnancy complication for both the woman and the child. Women who suffer from GDM have a greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) later in life. Identification of any potential biomarkers for the early prediction of gestational diabetes can help prevent the disease in women with a high risk. Studies show microRNA (miRNA) as a potential biomarker for the early discovery of GDM, but there is a lack of clarity as to which miRNAs are consistently altered in GDM. This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate miRNAs associated with GDM by comparing GDM cases with normoglycemic controls. The systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines with searches in PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. The primary search resulted in a total of 849 articles, which were screened according to the prior established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Following the screening of articles, the review was based on the inclusion of 35 full-text articles, which were evaluated for risk of bias and estimates of quality, after which data were extracted and relative values for miRNAs were calculated. A meta-analysis was performed for the miRNA species investigated in three or more studies: MiR-29a, miR-330, miR-134, miR-132, miR-16, miR-223, miR-155, miR-122, miR-17, miR-103, miR-125, miR-210, and miR-222. While some miRNAs showed considerable between-study variability, miR-29a, miR-330, miR-134, miR-16, miR-223, and miR-17 showed significant overall upregulation in GDM, while circulating levels of miR-132 and miR-155 were decreased among GDM patients, suggesting further studies of these as biomarkers for early GDM discovery.

Correlation between serum microRNA-122 and VEGF expression and pregnancy outcome in gestational diabetes mellitus patients

“…19 Dinesen S et al hold the opinion that miR-122 has no significant correlation with GDM through meta-analysis. 20 Virginie Gillet reveals that miR-122 is upregulated in the blood extracellular vesicles of GDM patients 21 , which is consistent with our study. As for VEGF, it is widely present in placenta and blood of pregnancies complicated with GDM.…”

MicroRNA Associations with Preterm Labor—A Systematic Review

“…Furthermore, the extensive metaanalysis conducted by Dinesen et al on miRNAs associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) significantly enhances our research. The inclusion of these findings in our study strengthens the broader scope of miRNA associations with various pregnancy complications, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of their diagnostic and prognostic implications [7].…”

“…Several miRNAs, including miR-29a, miR-330, miR-134, miR-16, miR-223 and miR-17, were significantly upregulated, while miR-132 and miR-155 were decreased in GDM patients. These miRNAs hold promise as potential biomarkers for early GDM detection and offer insights into GDM pathophysiology [7]. Elhag and Khodor emphasized the pivotal role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pathogenesis.…”