Title:Distinct MicroRNAs Identified in Rabbit Blood Arising from Induced
Diabetes and a Surgically Simulated Diabetic Ischemia Complication
Volume: 12
Issue: 1
Author(s): Girish J. Kotwal*, Sabine Waigel, Julia Chariker, Eric Rouchka and Sufan Chien
Affiliation:
- Noveratech LLC, Louisville, KY, 40299, USA
Keywords:
Micro RNAs, diabetes, ischemia, rabbit, diabetic complication, blood markers.
Abstract:
Background: Diabetic complications have been studied extensively in recent years.
There are very few biomarkers in body fluids that can pinpoint a distinct diabetic complication due
to insufficient known specific biomarkers for ischemia.
Objective: Identifying microRNA in animal models for each complication could enable early diagnosis
of a given complication if verified in humans. MicroRNA (miRNA) profiling has been done
in rodent models for a number of diabetic complications, like diabetic glomerular injury, atherosclerosis,
cognitive impairment, diabetic wound healing, angiopathy and other complications. Due to
multiple differences between rodents and humans, the changes in rabbit skin, considered closer to
humans than even pigs, may better simulate human diabetic complications of ischemia.
Methods: To study the miRNA profile of rabbits in which diabetes was induced or ischemia was
surgically generated, we studied whether diabetes or ischemia-induced specific miRNA could be
detected. MicroRNA from the blood of diabetic rabbits and rabbits with local ischemia was collected
in PAXgene Blood RNA tubes specifically designed for miRNA isolation and extracted using the
PAX gene miRNA extraction kit. The isolated RNA was quality controlled using an RNA analyzer,
and further, using RNA seq technology, it was analyzed for distinct miRNAs that were detected in
diabetic and non-diabetic rabbits induced with ischemia.
Results: A miRNA that was found to be expressed in diabetic rabbits and ischemic rabbits but not
in untreated rabbits was miRNA-183. Several miRNAs were differentially expressed across comparison
groups, and several upregulated miRNAs were identified being unique to each comparison.
In rabbits with a potential diabetic complication of a long-term ischemic model, there was one distinct
microRNA, which was highly significantly upregulated in ischemia rabbit (miRNA-133-3p).
One miRNA that was highly significantly upregulated in diabetic rabbit but not in ischemic rabbits
was miRNA-3074-5p. Only statistically significant results have been considered and analyzed.
Conclusion: These findings could lead to a precise and timely diagnosis of a potential single diabetic
complication without invasive tissue biopsies and could be a novel tool in the management of diabetic
patients developing complications due to the progression of diabetes.
